Cold Dusk
by Sari-Damien
Summary: Just a year after Breaking Dawn, a beautiful, mysterious girl joins the Cullens. Stronger than Emmett, faster than Edward and more capable than Carlisle has ever seen, she will open a new window to the immortal world. Esme finally gets a younger child & all the gifted family members are in for a very big surprise. Bk 1 of 3. Bk 2 - VITA MIRABLIS is now up.
1. Chapter 1

This story is told from the main character's POV with italicized inserts from Esme's POV.

I hope you enjoy the addition to the Cullen family. If you have any critiques feel free to review me.

I know the first chapter isn't the very best, but the story gets SO much better, so give it a chance. :D!

My stories reflect my love of the secondary characters… especially Rosalie & Emmett (my favs) and Esme. I also love Jasper & Alice…Let's face it… I LOVE them all- except Jacob. He REALLY annoys me.

Esme's POV

_Life was pretty much back to normal._

_That is normal for us. What is normal though? So many people have such different lives that there cannot be one blanket normal for everyone._

_The family had been living in Deacon Idaho for about four months now. Emmett and Rosalie were in New York "at college". Which of course was a cover story for them actually just hanging out like a fast living young couple. I had talked to them semi-often. The difference in our lives now with Renesmee made it more imperative to connect often._

_Rosalie loved Renesmee more than any of us but I understood her need to distance herself from the situation for a while. As much as she loved that little girl, it was painful to have to realize more acutely that she would never have the utter joy of having her own. _

_She had told me in private all of her feelings and had sworn me to secrecy never to tell them to anyone. She didn't want Edward or Bella to feel bad or misunderstand her and get angry._

_All of her past frustration and hatred toward Bella was truly in the past, but she was fearful of people thinking that she really still felt that way._

_So, I would keep in touch and be there for her like a good mother and hope that she would be ready to come home soon. I really missed them already._

_Alice and Jasper were enrolled in school along with Edward. Bella was debating whether or not to leave Renesmee with me or continue staying home with her. _

_I had told her that whatever she wanted I would back her up completely. She vacillated between her options but I didn't want to put undue pressure on her._

_Carlisle was opening his own private practice attached to the local hospital and was on call for any extreme emergencies. This time he was going to be a specialized surgeon and he was having fun doing it._

_Although homemaking had been my forte for the past century, lately I had been thinking of branching out and doing something interesting, like wedding planning. Although that would be a tricky one seeing as people love to have weddings in the sunshine._

_Maybe I could be an indoor only, events planner; or maybe a world-class architect._

_Either way, I could do something great. Well, that or watch Renesmee if Bella went to school. That would be a full time job._

_Then… Alice had a vision._

_Of course Alice and a vision is nothing new, but what she saw was very surprising._

_The first vision was a flash of our family in Forks. We were in the living room of the house and right in the middle of Jasper and Emmett was a young blonde girl. She was laughing and Emmett had an arm around her._

_Edward's face had been so perplexed when he had seen it. _

"_It's like she is part of the family," was his exact comment to the split second image._

_Alice had focused and watched._

_In the complete story she saw us in Forks and a beautiful young girl was with us. There was an addition on the house and a lovely bedroom made for the girl. She had rendered her vision to perfection… it was beautiful, but then all of our work tended to be._

_Every time she saw the girl with us we loved her boundlessly. She was very much a part of the family in her visions. I was curious yet overflowing with excitement. Alice and Edward both said she seemed very young; maybe fourteen or fifteen._

_If she were really going to be part of the family, I would have a young child. That would be the most amazing thing I could think of._

_After her visions of the girl Alice had seen a vampire being killed in a forest. She couldn't see the killer; just small hands break his head effortlessly off his body. And instead of burning, the body seemed to evaporate molecule by molecule in a golden red shimmer. _

_So here we are back in Forks based on her vision._

_It wasn't so hard to be inconspicuous. The only human that would venture onto our property to check out anything would be Chief Swan and that was just fine, seeing as he did so on a regular basis anyway._

_He was delighted to have Bella and Renesmee around again and though it did make him uneasy to see his formerly normal daughter so different and never changing, he would take her any way just to have her near him as much as possible._

_As we built the addition, Alice saw her again. This time she was lying across a fallen tree and seemed very ill._

"_It will be soon. She is dying," Alice said with a confused expression. She had clearly been a vampire in her previous visions, yet she looked sickly and dying in the new ones._

_The addition was finished rapidly and is gorgeous. Decorating the room for her was a unique experience. It was the closest thing I can think of to preparing a nursery to bring your new baby home to. _

_In a short time (Alice isn't sure yet) I will have a new daughter. I am assured of great beauty and of what is known so far, she is sweet and will be loved by all of us._

_So, to wait is all that's left to do._

Main Character POV

_____Alone _

I was sitting under a huge pine tree, with droplets of water filtering through its enormous boughs, landing on my nose. I wasn't cold, even though a tiny part of my mind said that rationally I should be. Actually freezing. Sitting on a cushion of snow was not exactly the best way to keep warm.

I really, really wished I had some pistachios to munch on. Not that they would do me any good. I didn't technically want to eat them; it's just that I've _always_ eaten them since I was a kid, for comfort sake. When I was nervous or sad or melancholy. Hell, when we went to a fair or carnival, the beach… you get the picture.

For the first time in my sixteen years of life I had not eaten food in a whole twenty days.

Me, the "bottomless pit with a side car for thirds" as my dad always said, was on a strictly liquids diet… which to me seemed to be a permanent thing, at least for the foreseeable future.

I didn't want to think about it. The little '_Capri Sun's_' as I liked to call them, still gave a vague part of me a weird emotional feeling every time I drank them.

Don't get me wrong… They were _delicious_. My throat tightened at the remembered taste. If I closed my eyes when I 'ate', and just gave over to the rush it gave me; I felt a kind of blinding haze start to crowd out everything else. And the intense need to have more, not just another stinking plastic pouch; but straight from the source.

I hugged my knees tighter as I remembered back nine days.

I was in the alley behind the blood bus when I saw him. He was asleep - well, passed out more likely - a few yards away in his car behind the Blues Barn.

His window was halfway rolled down, so yeah, he was probably drunk. I could almost feel the rise and fall of his chest. And I could actually _hear_ the blood pumping in his veins.

A small gust of wind blew and I could smell it so strongly. It was instantly intoxicating, completely irresistible. Before I even thought it, I was next to his car. I was completely focused on his throat.

I was going to eat him…or something like that.

It went beyond thought; it was just instinct moving my body. I reached my arm through the partially opened window and yanked him out, shattering the glass with my elbow as it retracted holding my helpless prey.

I breathed deeply as my mouth watered on the most delicious smell I had ever experienced. I lifted him by his shoulders and was about to bite into the left side of his nicely exposed neck, when I recoiled.

I couldn't say why or even understand it. Every single fiber of my incomprehensibly new and insanely strong body was crying and begging desperately to drink his blood and somehow I couldn't break through the mental blockade that seemed to have a physical grip on me.

Desperately thirsty, my throat feeling like I had drank napalm; I lunged downward to bite him again. But the moment my teeth touched his skin my jaw locked. I snarled in anger and dropped the poor helpless sap back down into his seat.

He jolted awake with a start. "What, what, who are…what'd you wan…?" His eyes were cloudy and his words slurred together.

Disgusted I shook my head and walked or rather zipped to my dad's blood bank. I opened the door with my key; I did after all clean it regularly. I smelled the blood as soon as the door had cracked open. I slammed it shut after me and headed to the storage tanks.

Ripping open the first cooler, I snatched a pint of O-Neg and biting through the plastic, had sucked the whole pouch dry in seconds. I didn't stop until I felt like if I breathed, a fountain would come back up on exhale.

I slumped down on one of the chairs and wallowed in the first good feelings I had had in the past 10 days.

Now, under my stupid tree I felt like crap. Well, not physically. Physically, I felt pretty damn good. But I didn't really care at the moment. Right then I couldn't even drum up a single good vibe over the sheer delight and childlike glee I felt a few days ago when I realized a few of the things I could do with myself now.

Right now at this particular moment of my life, I was completely, soul crushingly alone. I had never been alone in my life. Well, like sleeping and stuff. But that was only because my sister flat out refused to let me sleep in her room.

No matter how I begged, pleaded or tried bribing her, Lily wouldn't budge on that.

Unlike me, Lilibeth Annias Jonesy was a rather solitary and aloof person. She liked her "privacy" and no one in the family was allowed into the illustrious confines of her "suite" as she snootily called it. In reality it was just a decent sized bedroom with a regular bathroom attached.

I smirked as I recalled the look on her face when she got her good first look at _my_ 'en-suite'.

I had promised my dad that I would staff at both his soup kitchen and blood bank all summer if he would help me a little – financially – to install my own bathroom.

I had gotten my Uncle Willy and my three best friends from school, Jared, Lauren and Kara to help me with as much grunt work as possible. My uncle Willy owned a plumbing and air company so I kind of cheated. For the price of simple fixtures he gave me top of the line luxury everything, plus a two-man crew to install and direct us in the finishing.

Lily had been pissed, and had consistently used both my whirlpool tub and five-headed shower on a regular basis. I was secretly pleased, having put them there for that exact purpose. She never got it, but I was the master of the family in reverse psychology.

We hadn't ever really gotten along; well I got along with her just fine, but for some reason, I had always gotten the vague feeling that she actually hated me.

But either way, I would take intense hate to just be able to be in the same house with my family. Lily was probably going to take over my room now. I didn't even care. Maybe she would remember me that way.

When I had looked in the windows last night it had almost been unbearable. My mom, dad, Lily, my older brother Max and little brother Saul were all comforting each other over my murder.

Oh yeah… someone killed me.

I'm Annelise Leila Jameson, (called Lisa by my family, which I absolutely hate) and twenty days ago, three days before my sixteenth birthday; this psycho dude yanked me off the street – as I was running home – and murdered me….

Except, I didn't die all the way.

That's all I can think to explain it. Cause I'm not really a regular human, but I'm not a ghost or anything. I mean I'm so shockingly pale that I would have said I could have been, if I was in my usual humor.

This nasty little voice was pecking at the back of my brain saying I knew exactly what I was, but I wasn't letting it take over yet.

I was too busy keeping the panic that insidious little bit of info brought at bay. I didn't believe in the undead.

You know… _vampires_.

But as the days wore on and I realized more and more of the changes my body had undertaken, I had to admit to a tiny piece of myself that maybe I should rethink my beliefs.

I mean, so many of the myths I had heard made some kind of twisted sense to me now. And another chunk of them were still implausible.

I can honestly say that when I thought of my sixteenth year, this is nothing like I had envisioned it.

I thought I would get my license and drive around in the little car my grand parents had bought for my birthday, have fun this summer with my friends, go to summer music camp… hopefully. All that good stuff you do the summer after you turn sixteen.

I was super excited too, because Matthew Hollis had invited me to Winter Formal. It was in a couple weeks. He was pretty cute and I had a major crush on him since I was fourteen.

Kara, Lauren and I had all gone shopping the day before I… well anyway… we had all gotten our dresses for the dance and they were awesome! We had so much fun.

A stab of sorrow went through me and I lashed out ripping a thick branch off of the tree. It wasn't a physical pain, just a really sad feeling. I missed them so much.

I missed _every one_ so much. I just wanted to talk to someone, anyone. This wasn't natural. I hadn't talked to anyone in almost three weeks!

Well, I had muttered a few words my dad would have frowned on.

But that didn't count.

I had not talked to a single human being since the afternoon before I… well anyway.

I felt surge of anger at the bastard that had done this to me.

_It wasn't fair! _

I had been a normal fifteen-year-old girl just running to make it home for dinner and he had stolen all that was wonderful from me.

I was pacing angrily now and viciously kicked a large rock. With a startling, yet satisfying crack, it split and fell apart into a pile of big shards and pieces.

It felt good – destroying something in rage. I turned to a small tree, gave it an appraising look and with a lightning movement sheared it in half with the side of my hand.

_Awesome!_

I spent the next few minutes, a whirling dervish, leveling the immediately vicinity.

Afterward, I felt so much better.

_Big Surprise_

I pulled my iPod out of my backpack.

_Damn it. _

It was only at half power again. Now I would have to find somewhere to recharge it again. I couldn't live with a lack of music along with my lack of conversation.

Maybe I should save the battery power and charge it tomorrow. After all, one close encounter in a day was enough. And I didn't want to risk singing blissfully unaware again and end up in trouble. That had been bad enough earlier today.

I had tuned my iPod to my favorite song and was humming. When the lyrics began I joined in singing.

I didn't care if anyone heard me. For the first time in my life I could sing like a freaking songbird. Not that there was anyone around.

I would have smelled them by now.

But I was still delighted that I could sing in tune. Not only in tune, but it sounded beautiful, like _really_ beautiful. Unlike any sound I had ever heard.

The music swirled up and I twirled around like a ballerina, realizing simultaneously that I had gotten to my feet and was dancing with the music that rang so clearly in my ears.

It was such a different experience to be able to cut the music into discernible parts. I could hear every nuance of each instrument and voice separately, yet still enjoy the collective whole at one time.

I felt amazing. The music made me light and happy like it seemed to always do now.

"_I wish I could see who's singing that_."

The words were a small tinkling voice through my mind.

I sang again with the music.

"_So pretty."_ The little voice sighed_. "I wish I could see her."_

I paused the music and stuffed the whole iPod and headphones in my pocket. I swung my backpack on my back as I edged towards the direction of the voice.

I sang more softly as I walked silently.

I saw them as the little girl's head turned to where I was.

"Why do you want to see me?" I wondered softly.

She looked directly at me, "Cause you sing so pretty."

I stood rooted to the spot as I registered three things at once.

_* She heard me. _

_* All four adults instantly surrounded her._

_* And they didn't smell like humans. _

Oh, and_ she wished her Aunt Alice could find her a headband like mine._

There were two men and two women and the beauteous little child. I was too terrified to fully take in how spectacularly beautiful they all were. I could only think of one thing.

_Run!_

They were _not_ human!

They had really pale skin and a quality about them that instinctively told me they were the same as me.

_And really, really dangerous_! My sense of self-preservation screamed.

"Please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. Excuse me." I mumbled in apology, backing away.

_Please don't hurt me…_ was what was racing in my head.

I almost whimpered at the fierce look in the younger man's eyes. They were a really neat gold color and they burned protectively as he stood shielding the little girl who was peeking from behind his leg and smiling with the most charming, and beatific smile I had ever seen.

I turned and ran for my life.

Literally.

Just Another Night in a Not-So-Enchanted Forest

_Maybe I would listen to a couple songs and then turn it off_, I thought grouchily.

I was getting really irritated that I couldn't sleep.

Like not a bit.

And I didn't feel tired. I was getting to loathe my inability to fall asleep. I _LOVE_ to sleep! Like, way more than is natural. Now I couldn't will myself or do anything to fall asleep.

It was so _unnatural_. What was I supposed to do with all this time?

_Maybe I should get a violin. I could practice every night and become a concert violinist. _I grinned at the thought.

I started the music, a beautiful soothing piece. The beautiful strains of the ballad poured through me and suddenly I couldn't remember just then what had made me sad.

My focus had been off recently. Maybe A.D.H.D.? I could probably steal some Ritalin at the next place I hit.

Before I realized, the iPod beeped twice and shut down. I cursed and looked at my watch. It was only 10 pm.

_What the hell was I going to do for a-whole-nother-night in the freaking forest?_ I didn't even have my iPod anymore.

So I ran – just booked it North.

I was still stupefied at the speed with which I was able to hurtle my body forward.

I ran and ran and ran.

I looked at my watch as I ran. It had only been about thirty minutes, but it felt like a couple hours. I slowed down cause I realized I would probably be in northern Canada before morning at this pace.

I sat down with a plunk. The log, which I had meant to use as a bench, crumbled under my butt like dirt. I leapt up as a bunch of creepy crawlies came pouring out of the wreckage.

"Ick!" I yelped and brushed off the ones that were clinging on me.

I walked a few yards over to a large boulder, sat with a little more care and groaned. It wasn't even eleven yet.

I wasn't cold, tired or hungry. I had a good supply of 'food' with me anyhow, but I still wanted a shower and a bed. I wanted to feel civilized.

Truthfully, I felt like an animal. Living in the woods with no contact with anyone. Fearful, not _of_ people but of what I could do to them. I wasn't an animal.

No matter what urges were bubbling in me constantly, just under the surface, I _wasn't_ an animal. Just because I wanted to rip into every person's throat I came within a mile of, didn't mean I would or was going to.

Speaking of which. I pulled out a "juice pouch". It was better to fore stall the urge before it became a compulsion. I stabbed a straw through the little catheter hole on the pouch.

I had found that making light of the whole gory business, kept a tiny part of me that kept crying out that _I was still a person_, sane.

'I need to face reality,' I told that little peon now. I wasn't the same me anymore.

Something had changed drastically that day when I… well anyway.

I didn't want to think of that either.

When I was finished with my near-midnight snack, I put the empty pouch in the zipper pouch with the dozen or so others.

I might as well just hike and explore for a while I decided, resigned to yet another grueling lonely night. I hoofed it a bit and wondered if there was anyone else like me at this very moment; all alone, hiking late at night and truthfully scared to death of what their future was… if I even had a future that I wanted.

I made a conscious effort to stop thinking and just absorb what I was seeing as I hiked. In the silence and stillness of the forest I registered new sounds and the faintest flicker of artificial lighting.

I headed in that direction as stealthily as possible. I knew people wouldn't appreciate me looking in their windows while they were unaware, but it was strangely comforting to see normalcy in this crazy upheaval that was my present life.

As I neared what I could make out to be a large house, I heard a little sigh.

"_I wish I could see the girl with the really pretty voice."_

I stopped dead. I thought, with a flicker of fear, that I recognized the little tinkling voice. I closed my eyes and inhaled. No human smells.

_Oh crap!_ This was probably _their_ home! I turned to run and heard her again.

"_I wish she was here to sing to me. And I wish Alice could find me a headband like hers."_

I crept closer, careful more than ever to be quiet as possible. When I had a pretty good view of the house I swung myself into the branches of a tree. I could see into some of the windows of the second story.

She was tucked into a big double bed. A tiny little girl with thick glossy hair, dark brown eyes and the most perfect face I had ever seen in my life. No exaggeration.

She put down her book and turned on her side. Making herself comfortable and tucking her little hands under her cheek. Her eyes drifted shut.

I sat there for like an hour watching her little body rise and fall with her breathing. Her face was so expressive in sleep. I was completely enchanted.

After a while I realized it might not be the wisest thing to just sit a few hundred yards from a house of '_people_' that were probably a whole hell of a lot stronger than me.

I quickly took out a little notepad with a kitty on the corner of each page. Lauren had given it to me the day I… well anyway.

I quickly wrote,

'_For the pretty little girl that wished for it.'_

I took a pink bandana from my backpack and wrapped it around the clip I had attached to a simple black stretchy headband. I safety pinned the note to the little bundle.

When it seemed that there was no one outside or paying attention I darted to the porch as fast as I could, put the bundle on the top stair and bolted for the relative safety and comfort of the forest.


	2. Chapter 2

**LEILA**

_It's a lie. Time doesn't fly._

It was sixteen days later when I passed their house again. Out of boredom, I had decided to take a little trip up to Vancouver. Getting across the border was a snap. I simply ran through the woods.

I visited all the places I had ever had the slightest wish to see. Then I had visited all the different places where the Olympics had taken place. I had to admit. That had actually been pretty cool.

Now I was wishing I had some ice skates. I had always loved to ice skate and now I was excitedly wondering what kind of new tricks I could do. That is if I ever could get some ice skates.

Oh and new clothes.

I was so thoroughly sick and tired of wearing the same stupid outfits and one pair of boots.

I was, for all my faults, not someone who usually suffered in the fashion department.

Having fairly wealthy parents had made it relatively easy to be outfitted in pretty decent fashions regularly.

Though for all my keen fashion savvy I was never in the "in crowd". Not that I honestly cared. Maybe that was the real reason. Cause I had never cared to conform and thus consistently repelled their advances of friendship.

I had after all, friends of my own already; real friends that had been my friends when I was a total dweeb with glasses and early pimples.

Anyway, I was getting pissed off about the whole 'clothing and shelter' end of life. And I was starting to feel really odd every time I drank one of my 'juice pouches.'

Not nauseous or sick per se, just a feeling like when you know meat is bad and will probably make you sick later. I kept waiting for the 'sick later' part.

I was weirdly curious that if all I could have as nourishment now was blood, should I throw it up, what would I eat?

Since I was a little kid, if I threw something up, I couldn't eat it for years. Then again, I still didn't have the urge to puke. So that was probably a good sign I thought optimistically.

I recognized a little crop of boulders near the river that told me I was only a dozen or so miles (I don't have a real handle on measurement yet) from _their_ place.

I skirted out to give their property as wide a berth as possible.

I spent the day going into Seattle.

I look around, conned my way up the space needle. I figured it was good that I didn't eat, cause I didn't have any money anyway.

I was leaving the city around five thirty. Walking down a random street I saw a rolled bundle in the gutter. Just my luck upon investigation it was a wad of cash.

_Sweet!_

I looked up and down the street. No one was around. Which probably meant that whoever dropped it was not in the immediate vicinity.

Quick as a flash, I snatch the money and scooted. I found a Target – closest I could do to high fashion on my budget. Anyways, they did carry some decent designers these days.

I wallowed in the delightfulness of trying on new clothes. I picked out a rather pretty dress, some nice shoes, a blouse and skirt.

For the practical side of me, not to mention the forest – which was currently my luxury hotel, I got a few pair of well fitting jeans, some shirts, a sweater, a new jacket and a better pair of boots. Well, more stylish boots anyway.

I ended up spending almost the whole four hundred dollars that I had found. I got a medium sized nylon duffel bag and put all my new clothes plus everything I already had.

I wore it like a backpack.

Somehow, people didn't treat me like a dork as I was expecting. I guess looking really pretty covered a multitude of sins… including doing something supremely dorky.

I was inexorably pulled back in the direction of _their_ home. I didn't understand it. But as dusk fell and I saw people scurrying home, I felt lonelier than ever.

I didn't rush to get there, but I made it in pretty good time. I sat way up high in a tree a good distance from their house.

One of the few perks I had been glad of in this new me was my now perfect laser vision. Before, I'd had the highest prescription contacts they made and I was on the verge of going to stronger glasses.

Now I could see like the freaking eagle that sat on the top of a tree about six down.

I saw the little girl go into her room. She was fussed over and read to and hugged and kissed by eight adults if my counting didn't fail me.

_Oh Holy Crap!_ There was a ton of them. I was going to have to be _so_ careful.

After a few minutes, the adults trickled out of her room. The last to go was a really gorgeous blonde and the younger of the couples that had been with the girl the first time I had seen them.

The little girl bolted out of bed the moment the adults closed the door after them.

She opened the window about ten inches. She leaned her forearms on the sill and rested her little chin on them and visibly sighed.

She gazed out the window for a long minute. Her eyes belied the calmness of her posture. They darted side to side, up and down, probing the gathering darkness that rapidly fell. She was searching. Finally she sighed again.

"_I wish you were out there, fairy lady."_

I heard the beautiful tinkling voice like music on the wind.

_Fairy lady_! Right. I wasn't a freaking fairy. What? I could be the 'Blood Fairy!' Life was completely out of hand.

" _I wish you would sing for me."_

She turned and with one graceful motion of her perfect tiny body, leapt into her bed and lay down, securing the covers around herself.

The back door opened and momentarily distracted my attention. The young couple that had been the last with the girl exited the house, holding hands.

They walked at a leisurely pace, leapt the river in tandem and glided through trees.

I waited in my tree for a little while longer. The little girl lay on her side in a parody of the last time I had seen her sleep. Her eyes were open, staring hopefully out into the night sky.

I had heard the wistful hope in her voice when she wished. I couldn't resist. I flew between the trees until I was closer to her window.

Moderating my voice so as to be a lullaby and not a jarring assault, I sang:

"_Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high_

_There's a land that I heard of, _

_Once in a lullaby_

_Somewhere over the rainbow, _

_Skies are blue_

_And the dreams that you dare to dream _

_Really do come true."_

She rolled to her belly propping her face on two little fists, a rapt expression on her shining face, staring intently into the darkness.

"_Some day I'll wish upon a star_

_And wake up where the clouds _

_Are far behind me_

_Where troubles melt like lemon drops_

_Away above the chimney tops_

_That's where you'll find me."_

The door to her room swung open and the beautiful blonde I had seen in there earlier, rushed in.

Simultaneously the back door opened and two fierce young men stepped out on the porch. Their eyes scanned quickly and their posture said they would defend their territory.

Time to wrap up the concert!

"Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly"

The young couple came back through the trees and flew across the river. I had to finish quickly!

"_And the dreams that you dare to dream _

_Really do come true." _

I improvised the ending.

As I sang the last word I was already flying through the air, tree to tree. I saw the bigger of the two men on the porch look up in my direction and prayed he didn't see me. I didn't stop till I was a very great distance from them.

For the first time since that fateful day, almost five weeks before, I felt excitement course through me.

_Feeling Weird, in a Really Weird Way_

I felt weird again, so I lay down on the forest floor.

I spent the night writing in the journal I had started when I had turned fifteen. When I was done writing everything I could possibly find to write, I reread the whole thing from the start.

I cried.

Which gave me a new discovery, I no longer had tears.

The whole year, full of my family, friends, the good, the bad, it made me wish for them so much. I felt so lonely.

I spent the remainder of the night curled on my side hugging the scrapbook from my backpack that held all my memories from the past three years.

I had looked at it cover to cover twice. Which of course made me even lonelier.

When the sun came up, I had a crazy suicidal thought, fed from the excitement of my near discovery the night before.

I needed to go back and see _them_.

Maybe if I watched them, I could learn something to increase the quality of my life, such as it is.

So with a sense of fatalism I headed back yet again in the direction of _their_ house.

I reached the river and leapt across with a flying leap. I felt the burst of excitement over the feat as I did each time I executed the maneuver.

But as I landed I had a dizzying head rush so strong I hit a tree. It cracked and then went sailing over. I held onto the trunk like a panda as it fell.

I felt so weird. Like I was low on blood sugar or something. I just lay on the tree panting with my eyes closed.

Maybe I needed 'food'. I blindly grabbed a pouch out of the little bag. I just bit and inhaled the viscous liquid.

I really needed a new supply of '_Capri Sun's_.' Maybe these were bad.

I didn't think so, but they were Canadian and I had irrationally never been too fond of Canadians.

I had just pilfered them from a Canadian blood bank the morning before. And I kept them in a little cooler pouch. Maybe I was drinking too much.

I lay on the tree trunk and decided that I would lie there and maybe if I were still long enough, I would just die.

I wish I knew just exactly what had happened to me. This life of solitude was way too much mentally for me. I couldn't handle it another day.

About two minutes into my decision to lay still, I bolted upright.

I heard something. It was the faintest rustle in the trees. Every caution went up in my body.

"I wish I could see her clearly."

This was a voice that was tinkling and musical but older than the little girl.

Oh crap! They were coming to find me. Crap, crap, crap! What could I do? They could probably rip me to shreds in a second.

Then again – maybe not. I had ripped him… I wasn't even going to think it.

So I figured if they didn't kill me, maybe they would talk to me for a minute. Maybe I could stay sane! At this point I would trade a minute of conversation for my whole supply of 'food.'

Speaking of which, maybe I should offer _'refreshments_.'

I grinned wryly.

How 'civilized'. I unzipped my cooler, shoved a straw in one and took a sip. I felt a little better.

And they walked into view.

_Going Home?_

It was the two men from before and a little elfin-like woman/girl.

She was really pretty in a cute way.

I sat and stared at them as they crept closer. Well, if I admitted, they were fast for humans, but slow for 'us' you could say.

"Hello," the older man with blonde hair said.

I have to qualify; older is relative. He was older than the other two, but looked to be only in his late twenties.

"I am Carlisle Cullen. This is my son Edward and my daughter Alice." He gestured to the two at his sides.

I dutifully looked at the two he introduced before turning my steady gaze back on him.

"We'd like to talk to you. We're… curious about you," he said with a hint of a smile around his eyes.

Something about his eyes reminded me of my dad. It made a great wave of sadness hit me.

I held out a pouch. "Would you like a Capri Sun?" I asked it quasi-sarcastically.

I guess it was kind of a test. If they were different from me then I was sure they would refuse. I knew I would see something in their faces that would tell me if they were something other than whatever it was that I was.

Carlisle smiled nicely. "Thank you for your generosity, but we prefer to drink from others rather than human."

My brow furrowed in confusion.

"Animals." This was murmured from the one he called Edward.

I felt my lips round in an O.

I thought about it. It actually made sense. I'd crossed paths with a wildcat up in Canada. While I'd left it unmolested, it had been ever so slightly tempting. I had just put it down at the time to a lack of food, as I had gone over a week with nothing.

"I saw you." Alice said this in a clearer version of the voice I had heard only moments before. "I saw you with us and Edward said they saw you before."

Her eyes had a far mystical light in them. Like Aurora the fortuneteller down at the New Age shop that I used to go in all the time.

Before I had even formed a question from the many swirling in my head, Edward spoke again.

"Alice saw you in a… vision. And when she… described you, I told her that we had seen you." He paused and then continued with a wry smile. "There was also the little gift you left for my daughter."

I frowned. _He had a daughter that old?_ _And what did that mean? _She saw me in a… vision? _She was a psychic? _

_Neat!_

My face must have cleared with that revelation, for the frowns that had started to form on Carlisle and Edward's faces dissolved.

"Why did you see me?" I asked Alice. "Did I do something wrong?"

I had a pretty good idea of something I did wrong, but they couldn't possibly know…could they?

"No. You were with us, part of us. So I told them we needed to find you. You were there last night weren't you? I heard you singing. But you ran and I saw you afraid, so I told them to leave you until today."

Leave me 'til today?

_What, cause death today is so much easier than last night? _

Oh, crap! I should've run!

"Don't be afraid. We don't want to hurt you and we definitely don't want to kill you," this from Edward who murmured in the most reassuring voice.

I looked at him in bewilderment. "How did you know?" I trailed off helplessly. This was getting weirder by the minute.

He smiled. "I can… uh, I know what people are thinking."

"Like mind reading?" I asked skeptically.

Visions I could do. After all, I was very good friends with Aurora. She had visions all the time. But reading minds? That was really far fetched.

Then again, look what I was now… _What was I?_ I really needed to know concretely what exactly I was dealing with in my own person.

"If you can see the changes in yourself and acknowledge something implausible to most of humanity, and accept Aurora's visions as truth, why couldn't you believe someone could read minds?"

I stared at Edward in shock.

"You know Aurora?"

"No. I saw her in your mind just now."

I frowned in thought. "So what do you guys want from me?"

Carlisle made a face like a patient parent, "We'd like to know about you. Where you're from, where you plan on going. We don't want anything from you. We'd just like to get to know you."

Alice smiled. "Would you like to come back to our house? It would be so much nicer than right here. And the others want to meet you too."

She almost bounced where she stood. I had to admit, she was a little dynamo. And her enthusiasm was contagious.

But I had a really strong sense of self – preservation.

_Others?_

"I don't know." I said cautiously, my eyes darting around looking for the quickest route of escape.

I should probably just go. It was probably the safer bet. Then again… What was the worst that could happen?

"You could take a shower and dress up. I have tons of clothes!"

The offer from Alice took the choice from my hands. A shower! I swung my belongings on my back.

"I have clothes, but thank you anyways." I took a careful step towards her outstretched hand. "I can leave whenever, right?"

Carlisle gave a benevolent smile and inclined his head.

"Of course. At any time you wish. And we will assist you in any way we can."

Edward smiled politely. "Would you like me to take your luggage?"

I was honestly startled. "Uh… that's okay. It's not that heavy. Thanks anyway."

He too inclined his head in the polite fashion of his 'father'. Now that I had looked at them closely, I was fairly positive that they were not blood related.

But as I had recently learned, men could love children not biologically their own, just as deeply as their own progeny.

Edward, walking beside me, looked at me sharply with a contemplative and oddly gentle look. He smiled what I would describe as a sentimental smile and nodded. "True words." He agreed in his low murmur.

I followed them towards their house. It wasn't more than a mile or so up.

I started to get that weird feeling again followed by a sense of sick on the tail end of it. I tried to steady myself and blank my mind. I didn't… couldn't, let these amazing, strong people see me have a weakness. That would make me way too vulnerable.

'_I shouldn't have agreed to this,_' I thought wildly as I was almost overcome with a sense of weakening fatigue.

Blindly I followed them. The panic creeping up on me from fear, of them and the unknown sickness, was more crippling than the actual dizziness.

I saw Edward look at me several times with concern furrowing his brow. Apparently, whatever he saw in my face kept him from questioning.

I swayed slightly when I jumped over a giant red wood lying across the ground.

When I attempted to follow Alice's lead and leap over a tangle of roots, exposed by rainstorms I guessed, I stumbled and nearly fell.

Edward's hand shot out and grasped me, yanking firmly back. Carlisle was looking down at me intently, moving side to side, with a very puzzled expression.

Alice had a very serene expression as Edward held me by my upper arms.

"See? I told you she needed us now."

Carlisle's face tightened. His jaw clenched and his nostrils flared.

Edward looked at him with question in his eyes.

I felt a little steadier standing still. But the way they were looking at me and then between themselves made a slight sense of unease creep down my spine.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked uneasily. I rolled my shoulders to ease it and I felt an urge to run.

"Why don't we go into the house," Carlisle said in a gentle directive. "I would just like to content myself with a quick check up."

I guess a lifetime of having a doctor for a dad made his words unthreatening.

I was swiftly half escorted, half carried toward their house. Edward and Carlisle were on either side of me, a firm grasp on my arms. Alice danced forward in front of us. She glanced back and smiled reassuringly every other second.

"Are you feeling normal?" my attention was taken from her by Carlisle's question. "Is anything different than what you are used to?"

I looked at him with incredulity in my eyes. "Normal? What do you mean by normal? I don't think there's anything normal about me anymore." I said the last bit wearily.

"I understand this is very confusing to you, but we just want to help you." Edward's calm voice was oddly comforting. Somehow I believed him. I didn't know these people, but I instinctively believed that they _did _want to help me.

Maybe it was just because I was like them… or similar to them. Maybe they were just _good_. I didn't know and I was suddenly too tired to care.

It was getting more and more difficult to focus clearly. I felt _really_ weird now, weak and extremely dizzy.

"I think I need to eat or something," I said desperately. "I don't feel right."

Carlisle's face swam in from of me when he leaned over me urgently. Wow, that was really strange! I could still see crystal clear but the whole image was wavering and contracting – kind of psychedelic.

Yeah, something was wrong with me. Maybe I was going to die this time, I thought. Maybe what ever that freak had done to me was just taking a really long time to kill me. And all those weird things I had experienced were just some kick-ass side effects of a slow death.

Hadn't I thought in those first agonizing ten days that I had been poisoned? The excruciating pain that had poured through my veins, pulsing in time to the beat of my heart, had driven me to insanity. I had been so hot. I felt like I had been on fire!

I had lain in the icy river for more than an entire day and it had done nothing to sooth the scorching, searing heat of the inferno within.

I had actually wanted to die.

That's how bad it hurt. It had been an inhuman, overwhelming pain. But it had been so much more than pain. There wasn't even words to describe the sensations it had caused. I shivered when I remembered it.

So maybe my system had revolted against it and in trying to fight whatever the poison had been, become increasingly and frighteningly strong – kind of like Spiderman's reaction to the spider venom.

Although now, I had a sinking feeling that the poison was catching up in my little wonder woman body.

I could say though, I was overtly grateful for the complete lack of pain. Weakness and dizziness aside, I didn't feel any pain at all.

When I focused on my surroundings, I found we had reached the porch of their house.

There was a very pretty woman standing in the doorway with a warm, almost motherly smile.

"Hello," she said, in the soothing, timeless tone of mothers throughout the ages.

"Edward, take her bag," she quietly directed as she replaced him at my side.

I vaguely felt the duffel lifted from my back as she directed me with a firm yet gentle hand, in through the door.

I registered from my peripheral vision the two men who had come out on the porch the night before, glide into the yard from the tree line.

Alice skipped over to the blond one with some kind of scars across the lower portion of his face and practically wound herself like a sinuous vine around his arm in a loving and possessive manner.

His austere expression melted marginally to a facsimile of a smile.

The beautiful, motherly woman smiled as she led me into a lovely living room and sat me on the couch. I looked in horror at myself in contrast to the snowy white cushions and bolted off the couch in alarm.

Swaying with the suddenness of the action, I profusely apologized.

"I'm so sorry. I really shouldn't. It's so lovely. I don't want to ruin it. I'm so sorry. I'm all dirty."

The words were a torrent, rushing out in a high, distressed tone I hardly recognized.

It was suddenly all too much. I _felt_ like I was fifteen years old.

I wanted my mom and dad. I wanted my room and my stuffed penguin. I wanted a shower and food and hot tea with Saulie. I wanted to sleep and not wake up for days.

And mostly I just wanted to burst into tears and cry; with my penguin.

All of which were not even close to viable options for me anymore.

I dropped like a sack on the floor, vaguely recognizing the shuddering of the furniture and the clinking of glass at the impact.

Hugging my knees to me, and hunching in a little ball, I moaned. It didn't do anything to lessen the figurative lump in my throat.

"Just go ahead and finish me off," I said dramatically to the group, which had gathered around me.

The sweet mother one lifted my chin in a gentle but iron grasp.

"We're not going to finish you off," she said in a tone that sounded surprisingly like my Grandma Violet.

"I'm Esme Cullen." She was still smiling that same serene smile that made me just the slightest bit uncomfortable. It was a smile that said 'all was right with the world', but that was so not true.

"You are going to be just fine," she said in a tone that said she was going to make me fine if I wanted it or not.

Yep. Definitely a mama.

I looked at her, wishing for my dad. Then I realized she was looking expectantly at me.

Manners, which had not been a necessary tool for the last little while, came out belatedly.

"Oh, sorry. I'm Annelise Jameson." I stuck out my hand to shake hers and yanked it back when I saw how filthy it was. Embarrassed, I spoke in a rush.

"Everyone calls me Lisa, but I actually hate it. I like my middle name better but my mom always insisted on calling me Annelise. Leila, that's my middle name, is my grandmother's name. My mom never liked her. She's my dad's mom."

I realized they were staring as I rambled. I tucked my chin harder between my knees.

"Sorry." I said again. I was really, _really_ hating this.

I was not a dark melancholy person, given to depression or anxiety. That was usually left to the drama queen of the family – Lily.

I wanted to be my normal self again – happy, carefree and optimistic.

I think it was the prolonged silence and forced solitude that had made me feel this way. I was a very social personality. I _needed_ the company of others.

I looked nervously at the faces staring at me. The really pretty blonde one, the woman that had been with Edward before and the little girl were nowhere in sight. I wondered where they were.

Alice crouched down and smiled at me.

"Why don't we," she spoke in a sweetly cajoling tone, "go and get you a shower and some nice clothes on. Then we can talk when you're more settled."

'Sweet,' I thought with a sigh. A shower sounded like an unearthly pleasure.

She was smiling, waiting for a response.

"Sure," I agreed with a little smile.

She bounced upright and clapped her hands with a little squeal of delight. "Great! Just come with me." She pulled me up and started to trail me towards the large staircase.

She looked behind to the blond man she had been wrapped around earlier.

"Jasper." The word was a question and thanks in one word.

He nodded and picked up my duffel where it had been set down.

Before I could offer to get it, Alice had pulled me the rest of the way up the stairs, through a door, into the nicest bedroom I had ever set foot in.

I had been raised with a veritable amount of privilege, with friends wealthier than I. So I had seen some really nice places. But something about this room called to me.

It was decorated in ivory and peach with accents of gold.

It was like a fantasy.

The double bed was ivory painted wrought iron with gold accents. The canopy over it could have looked tacky, had it not been done in what I was convinced was real silk.

It had a beautiful silk bedspread with decorative pillows that looked as if they should be in an Arabian palace.

There was a small oval carpet that looked like an antique and I could swear there was gold woven into it. The polished wooden floor underneath was very light and glossy.

The furniture looked like really expensive antiques. It was all delicate and feminine somehow.

A wooden chest was at the foot of the bed. It had a smooth, shiny top and on the front side was an exquisitely carved picture.

It looked like a scene from the early 1900's; a woman sitting on a blanket her frilly dress pooled around her gracefully. Her arm was extended and a little bird was perched on her hand. It was really remarkable.

I was interrupted in my study of the room by Alice pulling me into a large bathroom on the opposite side of the room.

"Okay, there are towels here, soap here, make up, lotion, brush here." She flitted around, pointing everything out.

"I'll bring you clothes," she said, pausing in the door, her hand on the knob. "Take as long as you want."

"I have clothes…" my protest was cut off by the sharp click of the door shutting.

_What was with her and clothes?_ I wondered, as I thought of the almost maniacal gleam in her eyes every time she breathed the word. She said it with something akin to reverence.

I mean I like nice clothes – a lot. But I had a feeling I was a novice in shopping and fashion when compared to this chick.

Stripping off my grungy clothing, I fully appreciated for the first time just how desperately I needed washing. My clothes lay in a grimy heap on the floor, a sprinkling of dirt ringing them.

I gasped as I caught my reflection in the mirror. My face was completely dirty, my hair a tangled mess around said filthy face and trailing down my back.

When I held my arm in front of me, I was appalled at how filthy it was. The pale skin was caked in a thin sheen of dirt. I actually looked like a bum.

Shuddering, I turned from the mirror and stepped into the sumptuous shower.

The water was unbelievable. I could feel the warmth of it and though I didn't need it (I wasn't technically cold) the psychological factor was amazing.

I washed my hair – twice. I scrubbed my skin with the pearly body wash conveniently provided and thanked my lucky stars when I realized I didn't have to shave.

My legs and underarms were as smooth as they had been six weeks ago.

Peeking around the shower curtain to ensure I didn't have an audience, I grabbed a towel off a huge fluffy stack.

I wrapped it sarong style around me before I yanked the shower curtain back and stepped out.

Making a turban with a second, I spied a stack of clothes on the sink counter. I heaved a grateful sigh.

They were mine.

I didn't want to wear some one else's clothes right now. Wearing my own stuff would be a comfort no matter how small.

I dried and dressed quickly. I towel dried my hair the best I could and brushed it out.

I wished I had thought to get a new headband when I was at Target. Deciding this was as good as it was going to get, I cracked the door and peered out.

Alice and Esme were standing side by side in front of the bed. Both had their hands clasped in front of them expectantly, as if waiting to cheer.

Esme smiled. "Oh! You were right Alice. She is absolutely beautiful."

Alice smiled back smugly. "I know."

She reached out a slim arm. "Come. Carlisle is waiting." As she led me out, Esme followed, one comforting hand on my shoulder.

"He is worried," she said softly. "So Alice and I told him we would bring you right to him for a thorough check up."

"Is he a doctor?" I asked.

She smiled proudly. "Yes and a very excellent one."

She was his wife.

It was there in her smile. I had guessed as much. But the look in her eyes, the glow of possessive pride that shimmered there said I had been right.

We were down the stairs and into the sitting room before I had a chance to reply.

"Ah! There you are." Carlisle stood and spread welcoming hands. Four sets of eyes intently studied me. It was very unnerving.

"Would you like to have a seat?" he invited, gesturing to the sofa he had just risen from.

The dark haired, largest man was comfortably settled in an easy chair. He had a relaxed air about him, but there was a sharp awareness in his eyes that belied his posturing.

Edward stood a few feet from Carlisle with an easy smile I assumed he was using in an attempt to make me feel more at ease.

The one Alice had called Jasper, stood ramrod straight near the stair-post… what was it people called those things? I wondered absently.

He looked like he was standing at attention or something, his eyes intently boring into me. I almost felt as if he was expecting me to do something…like something bad. And he kinda' looked like he was in pain or something.

He scared me.

Esme had me seated and had settled herself beside me, taking my hand, before I had finished my thought.

Carlisle sat carefully on the edge of the sofa and smiled again.

"So, Leila. You did say you prefer to be called Leila, correct?" he lifted a brow in question.

I shook my head then nodded. "No. Um, yes. Sorry. Yeah, Leila is fine."

It seemed that if I was going to have a new life I might as well like my name in it.

I smiled a real smile for the first time in forever. "Yeah. Leila is good."

Esme smiled back and squeezed my hand as if sensing my pleasure.

Carlisle reclaimed my attention when he spoke softly and reassuringly. "Leila. We would like to know about you. And I am curious, and a little concerned. You seem fine now, but you seemed a little…unsteady earlier."

I smiled a bit self-consciously, unease creeping back up my spine. "I was just a little dizzy. I'm fine now."

My reassuring response seemed to have the opposite effect of what I hoped.

Carlisle's eyes sharpened and his brows drew together.

"You were dizzy?" he asked in an incredulous voice. All six of them were watching me with expressions that mirrored his voice.

"Uh, yeah." I was starting to not like this – the staring, the overt concern or the fact that Edward probably knew what I was thinking.

And mostly, I didn't like the near menacing look that scary one – Jasper – was giving me.

I felt the tension coil through me. My back was ramrod straight and a sort of feral instinct rolled through me. I didn't feel threatened exactly, it was more a certainty that they were stronger and I was vulnerable at the moment.

It made me angry. Really, really enraged. I hadn't done anything to them and now they were strong-arming me into what they wanted.

There was a fuzzy red border around my vision now. I saw Jasper glide closer and I felt my lip curl and a tiny snarl emerge.

A really faint part of my mind was saying that this was irrational and nothing had happened to warrant my anger, but I wasn't in control of my emotions.

_They weren't going to control me! I was leaving! _The flight impulse was overwhelming.

Before the thought crystallized I had already leapt the back of the couch on my way to the door.

The big dark haired guy was suddenly in front of me. I used his shoulders as leverage and leapt over him. Mid air, my arms were locked behind my back in a steely hold.

I twisted and snarled as I fell and was yanked back simultaneously. The dark haired one grabbed me by the upper arms trying to hold me still.

I twisted to look behind me and saw it was Jasper holding my wrists. I growled and snapped at him.

"It's okay. Leila, it's okay. Calm down." I looked back and saw Alice with a placid smile and outstretched hands as if to sooth.

"Let go of me," I hissed at them and at the same time I bucked viciously, twisting free of their hands.

I literally dove between Alice and Carlisle and vaulted over couch, table and caught the exposed beam that crossed the ceiling. I swung off and flew through a doorway, across the kitchen almost reaching the door in one smooth movement.

I fell short, being tackled from behind. I landed, my head an inch from the door, something rock hard landing on top of me. I heaved myself against it to regain my footing and was slammed back down with a ton of force.

There wasn't any anger now.

Sheer terror raced through my veins and I kicked and bucked. It felt like there were a dozen hands all over me, restraining, pressing down and one seemed to be stroking.

Confusion mixed with the fear swirling in my brain.

'_Why were they doing this to me?' _

'_What had I done?' _

'_And if they wanted to hurt or kill me, why was someone stroking my head?'_

I just wanted to get free and go! I fought harder and I heard a grunt.

"Emmett. Get her legs."

Weight and iron grip landed on my legs effectively pinning them. I tried to move and realized I was completely immobilized.

I laid my head on the floor, defeated. _Why had I come here? For a shower!_

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ I didn't even know these people. Why hadn't I listened to my first instincts? They were going to kill me and I couldn't understand why.

_They couldn't do this to me!_

The hands had eased slightly.

I reared up, surprising them enough that I had my shoulders up off the floor before I was unceremoniously slammed down yet again.

I wished so badly that I was back under my tree, just me and my music. I didn't want to die. I was only sixteen.

I heard someone talking quietly, their words so quick they were a blended murmur.

Then another sound filtered in. The soft soothing notes of a piano playing a lullaby.

A soft fuzzy mist rolled over my mind in a blanket, the music working like magic, lulling me into a peaceful haze.


	3. Chapter 3

I own nothing… Thank You Stephenie Meyer for your genius in giving us this amazing fantastic family!

ESME

A New Daughter

She was so peaceful, laying in the frilly bed, her blonde hair a silky cloud around her beautiful almost angelic face. Her eyes were closed, her lashes making dark crescent moons on her pale white cheeks.

Even for a vampire, she was remarkably pale. Her skin had an almost grey cast to it. She looked like she was sick.

But she was still gorgeous.

Alice had been right. She looked like Carlisle – shockingly so. Had I not known better, she could have been his daughter.

On her, the sharp aquiline features were a softer feminine version. But still, she definitely resembled him.

He was worried about her, I knew. In his several centuries of life, he had never seen an ill vampire. Along with the concern were fascination and a certain amount of curiosity.

Even now he was busy researching and contacting any number of his legion of friends and acquaintances.

When she had leapt over the sofa on her quest to leave, I had had a moment's shock. I had never seen such a sudden maneuver before.

And when she was fighting with the boys my heart had been in my throat.

She was strong, and very fast.

Emmett was strong and Edward was very fast, but this had been on a whole different level.

It had taken both of them along with Jasper, Carlisle and Alice to subdue her on the kitchen floor. I had seen wild terror in her eyes and had smoothed her hair trying to comfort her.

I sighed in relief when she had relaxed and then I had actually jumped, startled at the ferocity with which she had reared again.

In the last few moments of the fight Edward had been intently listening to her inner struggle.

When Jasper had shoved her back down, he leapt up.

"She's afraid, and confused." He said. "She doesn't understand why we are doing this. She thinks we want to kill her. All she wants is to go back were she was and listen to music."

He had seated himself on the last words at his piano and begun to play a soft romantic tune he had written for Bella.

It had worked like a charm. The fight had visibly gone out of her. She had lain motionless and I saw a cloudy look come into her eyes.

When she was still for a few solid minutes, Emmett eased off her legs. She didn't move. Alice and Carlisle released her from where they had held.

She was still, her eyes rheumy and unfocused.

"Turn her over Jasper, but stay alert." Carlisle directed.

He had done so carefully. Carlisle checked her over thoroughly, his expression intent and focused.

"She doesn't seem to be injured externally. I think we can all attest to her strength. So apparently whatever is wrong with her is not visible."

Alice stood up. "Let's move her upstairs to her room."

Carlisle nodded. "Yes. That would be fine." He frowned. "She seems to be unconscious."

"I have never seen an unconscious vampire before," he muttered to no one in particular as Jasper picked her up and took her upstairs, Alice leading the way in her usual dancing stride. Carlisle, Emmett and I followed behind.

Alice turned down the silk bedspread in the lovely peach bedroom and Jasper laid her down gently.

Reaching up, Alice closed her eyelids.

"It just felt wrong for her to stare like that. It made her feel like she is dead or something," she said with a shudder.

She still didn't move. Carlisle bent over and looked in her eyes one by one. He called her name quietly.

"Leila, Leila can you hear me?" There was no response.

From downstairs the music stopped and I heard the near silent creak of the piano bench when Edward got up.

The back door opened and I heard him greet Bella.

"Is she…?" The question from Bella was cut off on a swift intake of breath. "What on earth happened?"

"We had a slight hiccup with our guest," was Edward's amused reply.

"Slight hiccup? Half of the room is trashed," Bella said.

"Well, it's sot so bad. Esme managed to save her fancy little end table."

That made me smile. I had, in the nick of time, scooped it out of the way of the charging boys.

"Jasper, you and Alice stay here with her; Emmett, you too. I'm going to look up a few things and make a call." Carlisle's voice brought me back to the room. As he turned to go out, I laid a hand on his arm.

"Is she going to be okay?" I asked. He smiled tenderly. He understood the underlying thread in my voice.

"I'm not sure. I've never experienced anything like this before. But I will do everything in my power to help her."

He smoothed his hands down my arms and kissed my forehead. It was loving and somehow very comforting. I knew him and I knew he was going to do everything he possibly could.

" I need to do a few things. Would you like to stay here? Or maybe you could go see how Bella and Renesmee are."

I smiled. "Of course. I'll check and make sure everyone's okay."

His offer was an out for me to take a moment away from the tension the situation presented. My response was grateful and both acknowledged and thanked him for his sensitivity.

Alice had found an iPod in a pocket of the filthy jacket that Leila had been wearing. She had placed it the new sound system she had added to the room when we had built it.

Soft instrumental music flowed from the speakers. Most of her playlist ran to Celtic and New Age.

Alice must have programmed it to play only peaceful music, for nothing that I had heard was fast paced or thumping.

Emmett was over in the corner in a chair he had brought in.

"Weird-ass taste she has in music," he commented as I glanced over. It was classic Emmett.

Alice had protested that his chair clashed with the rest of the décor, but he had informed her that if he was going to take guard duty all night, he wasn't going to stand like an idiot.

I smiled fondly. I actually enjoyed when any of them argued. It made them seem like human siblings. And they never really seriously quarreled in a way that distressed me.

I looked at the girl lying so still. If Alice was right, and she always was, this was the newest member of our family.

I touched her face once and turned to leave. "I'll be back in a little while." I said softly to Emmett. I stopped by his chair, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you for staying." At his look I elaborated. "Jasper needed time to depressurize. But he would have stayed had you not offered."

Emmett smiled his charming, easy smile. "No problem."

Bella was in the doorway when I looked up.

"Hey," she said. "I just wanted to see her."

Her inherent bashfulness could still be glimpsed sometimes in her speech and mannerisms. It was so endearing.

"Of course." I stepped back to the bed with her. We stood for a few silent moments as she took in the angelic girl lying ever so still.

"Wow. She really does look like Carlisle," she whispered. "She's beautiful."

We stood for a second watching her breathe.

"What's her name?" Bella asked.

"Annelise Leila Jameson is what she told us. She prefers to be called Leila."

"Annelise Jameson?" Bella asked looking at me.

There was a note in her voice that caught me. "Yes why?"

"That sounds familiar." She pursed her lips in concentration. "Annelise Jameson." She muttered to herself. "Annelise… Lisa Jameson."

I looked at her in surprise. "Yes. She said her family calls her Lisa but she hates it."

Bella grabbed my arm and pulled me out the door.

"Esme. Lisa Jameson was murdered down in Oregon five weeks ago!" She spoke low and urgent as she pulled me towards the stairs. "I saw it on the news. She was last seen running towards home and she was pulled right off the street."

We were in the living room by the time she had finished her sentence.

"A child who saw it happen said the man was all white and when he had stepped out of the trees into the sun, his face was 'shiny!'" Bella continued.

"The police said the witness saw the man pull her into the woods. They found a lot of blood a mile or so in and a trail leading to a small cliff."

"They found blood and a small piece of her clothing on some rocks in the gorge and they said it was concluded her body had been swept down the river."

The others had gathered around as she had poured the information out.

It was silent for a moment and then Jasper spoke.

"If this is the same girl, than it explains why she is so strong. Five weeks would make her a very young newborn."

Alice frowned. "But why would she be sick? If she is a newborn she should be strong and vitally healthy. I never saw her sick. She was always happy."

Edward crossed the living room and picked up a laptop that had been left on a sideboard and typed 'Lisa Jameson' in the search engine.

Image results popped up on the screen. They showed a pretty blonde girl with green eyes. She was cute, in an average human way.

Edward opened a news bite and began to read aloud.

"_The search was called off today for Lisa Jameson, the fifteen year old girl that has been missing for thirteen days in Oregon. Police say witness statements coupled with corresponding conclusive evidence has proven that Miss Jameson is indeed deceased. Lisa is survived by her father Razul Jameson, a prominent doctor, her mother Iris Jameson, brothers Max and Saul and a sister Lilibeth. A memorial for her is scheduled for this coming Tuesday."_

"Of course she looks different now," Bella said pointing to the small photo, "but I would say that is her."

I agreed. "We should tell Carlisle."

"Tell Carlisle what?" he asked, coming down the stairs.

Jasper spoke first. "Bella recognized her name from the news."

Edward turned the computer.

"She was murdered according to reports, five weeks ago," Alice said.

Carlisle was next to me now with an arm around my shoulders. I reached up so I could hold his hand.

"If she is really the same girl and she was changed five weeks ago, she should be very healthy." His words echoed Alice's.

"Did you find out anything at all?" I asked him.

He hesitated. "No." He smiled wryly. "Those who did not laugh in disbelief at the thought of a sick vampire, had nothing to offer."

He sighed. "I will continue to look for any answers I might find, but otherwise, I would say this most likely is a first time occurrence."

I squeezed his hand. "I'm sure you will take better care of her than anyone else could."

"Jasper!"

The one word from Emmett had him up the stairs, with all of us behind in a millisecond.

LEILA

_To Stay or Not To Stay_

I wasn't asleep. But I felt like I was dreaming. I could feel _nothing._

I literally had no feelings of any kind. I had no sensation in my body what so ever. And I had no emotional feelings either. It would have been weird I suppose, had I been able to feel anything.

All I knew is I was there. I heard someone breathing as I listened to my surroundings. I could hear my own breath also, and every minute or so there was a quiet thump. It was more of a vibration than a sound. It was odd I mused, but still felt nothing.

It was like I was in hibernation. My body was completely relaxed and weightless.

I realized I was awake but I could not see.

I opened my eyes – and looked straight into a pair of beady black ones.

Without a thought I had the throat of the creature squeezed in a deadly vise grip.

"Jasper!"

The word was a quick sharp command and I registered it at the same time I saw what was in my hand.

My penguin! For some reason the familiar fuzzy face of my little friend made a surge of emotion flood me. My throat burned and squeezed tight. My eyes stung like they wanted to tear up and I was standing in a strong wind that was drying them. I clenched my jaw and swallowed twice.

And felt an oppressive calm settle over me. I registered it and knew it was an outside source even as it soothed and comforted.

"Leila?" The voice was gentle and I turned to it. I saw the beautiful face smiling at me and blinked in surprise.

_Who was she?_ Even as I thought it, a myriad of images flashed through my mind. Faces and names and bits of activity.

"Esme?" It came out more as a question than a greeting.

She reached a hand toward me and when I didn't react, she ran a hand over my forehead. "Hi. How are you feeling?"

I had been shuffling information in the interim and was piecing together memory of the past little while.

"Okay I guess," I answered tentatively. I cringed inwardly at the memory of my last cognitive moments. "Um, did I ruin your house?" There were several chuckles.

"Nah. You didn't wreck anything. Any damage done was just from us, and believe me. We've trashed places worse. Ask Esme." This was from the big dark-haired guy who was standing on the opposite side of the bed.

"Oh. Well sorry for uh, freaking out. I don't know really…" I trailed off lamely and sighed.

Esme sat down next to me, hoisted me up into a semi-upright position and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Don't be sorry. It was a totally natural reaction. We all went through it and understand exactly how you feel." She laid her cheek on my head and squeezed me in a two-armed hug. It felt… nice.

The silky ends of the bed canopy fluttered as Carlisle circled the bed and sat on the opposite side of me.

"Why don't we check you out and see how you're doing. There are quite a few things I am curious to find out about you." He had taken my left hand and was smiling a pleasant 'doctor' smile.

Wow. And I had always thought my dad had a good bedside manner.

Esme eased her arm from behind me and stood up. "Out, boys." She pointed to the door.

The dark haired guy crossed his arms over his chest. Jasper stepped forward with an anxious look.

"I don't think we should leave Carlisle alone. It is not safe at this point."

Alice turned to him and rested her hands on his shoulders. "Jazz. Do you think us girls can't take care of ourselves? Come on, you can wait right outside the door."

He compressed his lips and breathed once harshly. "Fine. We'll be _right outside_ the door in the hall."

Alice danced on her tiptoes as she guided him with one tiny palm to his back out into the hall and then closed the door.

Carlisle smiled at me. "Now. How are you feeling?" His question was deceptively casual as his eyes watched me closely.

"Fine, I guess. I mean I feel thirsty but I really don't want to drink one of those plastic bags right now."

I shuddered a tiny bit as I thought of them. For however delicious their contents smelled and tasted, something about them repulsed me right now.

"I kind of feel light headed. Not sick or anything, but it's a little weird."

His brows pulled together as he considered me for a moment. "Is it the same dizzy sensation as before? Or is it something different?" he asked calmly.

"I definitely feel better than before. It's just that I feel lighter, kind of like I could float away or something. But I'm good, really." I was starting to get an itchy feeling in my hands and feet. It gave little compulsory urges to run away.

"Is there anything else that feels different?" Carlisle still held my hand and it was surprisingly comforting. "Anything since before you slept?"

I thought about every sensation I had experienced since becoming aware again.

Nothing felt odd per say. I mean, everything in my life was different… just what kind of different should I try to pinpoint?

I felt the faint thud again and concentrated solely on feeling where it came from. I counted to thirty-six and I felt it again.

"Leila?" Carlisle was leaning closer to me. "What is it?" His voice was still calm and soothing almost as if he was forcing himself to keep it level. Probably no one wanted to startle me. I thought this and felt bad again for my prior outburst.

"I don't really know. I keep feeling a thump and I can't figure out where it's coming from. It almost feels like it's in me." I rolled my shoulders to release tension I felt gathering there.

"I want to check you over. Would you be okay with that?" Carlisle looked at me with a solicitous expression as he waited for my reply. I got the feeling he was going to check me over regardless, so the courtesy was appreciated.

I shrugged and nodded. "Sure why not. I would like to know what exactly happened to me. I mean, I have a pretty good idea of what I am, but I guess one can always hope right."

I smiled ruefully at him. _One could always hope that oneself had not been turned into a walking nightmare. A freak. The undead!_

My breath came slightly faster as I thought this.

_Who the hell did that bastard think he was to try to kill me? And if he was going to destroy my life, why hadn't he just killed me all the way? It wasn't fair! _

I registered Esme pull back the blanket covering me. Carlisle started to check me over thoroughly, both looking and feeling my extremities and then moving on to my torso.

This was all secondary thought process though. I was getting into full mental rant now.

_Who was the tall blond man I had seen some distance away staring at me while the stocky dark skinned one had almost killed me. Why the hell had he not helped me? What kind of person would watch someone kill a kid? This wasn't fair… any of it_. I wanted to be me again.

My attention was pulled from my angry reverie by Carlisle laying a hand over my heart. His expression went from serene to intently focused. I saw his eyebrows raise in surprise and he looked at me. "Leila, when you feel the next thump say 'now'. Okay?"

I nodded. "Sure."

Everything was silent in the room. I didn't even hear anyone breathe. Seconds ticked by seeming to take forever in the taut silence that stretched.

"Now." I murmured quietly as I felt the thud.

He gave a sharp nod and kept still. Again time seemed to hang as I waited in the silence that was beginning to make me uncomfortable. Alice, Esme and the dark haired girl all stood in a row watching me avidly.

"Now."

Carlisle nodded thoughtfully as he took his hand from my chest.

"Amazing," he whispered absently. He stood, deep in thought and smiled as an after thought.

"If you would grant us the favor we would like to hear your story. Maybe you would like to join us downstairs in the living room, I know the boys would also be interested."

I thought of 'the boys' and cringed inwardly. Jasper really made me nervous, but I couldn't be rude I thought rationally. They had after all been kind and hospitable and had obviously taken care of me while I had been unconscious.

I was dressed in white cotton dress that was comfortable but not too nightgown-ish. I had never seen it before so I knew someone other than myself had put it on me.

_Probably Alice,_ I thought with a trace of humor. She obviously loved clothes and was the only one in the bunch I would peg as being worried about an unconscious person's fashion.

Carlisle whisked back around the bed and stood next to Esme with a hand possessively on her shoulder. Four pairs of eyes watched me expectantly for an answer.

Quickly I nodded. " Yeah, um, sure. I guess I could tell you about myself. I mean it's not really that interesting." I felt a little self-conscious with so many people intently focused on me, curious of my life story.

I looked at Esme instinctively for my question. "Would you mind if I change first?" She smiled and reached forward to squeeze my hands. "Of course not. You just take your time and be comfortable and come down when you're ready."

I smiled tentatively. "Thanks." Alice bounced forward as Carlisle, Esme and Bella headed towards the door.

"I'll help you! I put tons of things in your closet. Let's pick something out." She fairly vibrated with enthusiasm.

_Yep, she had redressed me when I was out._

She took my hand and pulled me out of bed. I didn't fall like I would have before. I didn't even think about it, just merely put down my feet as she yanked me bodily towards the closet. She opened the door and my jaw dropped.

The closet was the size of my little brother Saul's bedroom. There were poles down one wall and down the other was a warren of shelves and drawers and little cubbyholes.

Along the back wall was a small dressing table with a padded chair. Decorative nesting hatboxes were stacked next to the table. It was beautiful.

There were clothes, shoes, purses and accessories everywhere. I didn't see any of my belongings.

I realized I was standing stock still, staring at it all and Alice was darting around looking at different things, shaking her head and putting them back. She paused and looked at me. "Do you see anything you want to wear?"

"Where is my stuff?" I asked her mildly. I didn't want to wear her clothes. I wasn't really planning on sticking around. I didn't want to have to change if I suddenly felt the urge to leave.

She pursed her lips and frowned. "Just pick something from here. You can wear anything in here." Her hands swept around encompassing everything in the closet.

I shrugged, intentionally looking sheepish. "It's all really nice, I guess I just feel a little weirded out so I thought it would be more comfortable to wear something familiar."

She sighed, but smiled understandingly. "Of course. Here you go." She opened a large drawer and I saw most of my clothes folded in it. She pointed to a section of closet pole. "There is your dress and skirt and the silk blouse."

I picked out a knit shirt that was in a peasant style and took the skirt from the hanger. I changed quickly, kind of liking how fast I could accomplish the task. She opened a smaller drawer above the first and all my non-clothing items were in it. I took my brush and smoothed my hair, thankful for once that its silky straightness rarely held knots.

I looked at Alice. "Do I look okay?"

She rolled her eyes. "You look more than okay. You're completely gorgeous. As for the clothes, you have good taste I must say. I would have put you in something more elaborate, but you do look cute."

She took a pair of shoes from a rack and held them out. I made a face, liking the feeling for the first time in weeks of having clean bare feet. "Um, are we going outside? Cause if we're not, I'd rather go barefoot."

She shrugged and put the shoes back.

25


	4. Chapter 4

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Leila POV

I followed Alice down the stairs a little apprehensively. I didn't know what exactly I should tell them. Some of my actions thus far were bound to make them unhappy, I was sure. I definitely did not want Edward to know about what I had done to the man who… well, I wasn't even going to think about _that_.

Alice turned and smiled at me. "It's going to be fine. Don't worry. Everyone loves you." For some reason that little comment struck me funny and I giggled nervously. "I don't know if everyone 'loves' me Alice. You hardly know me."

"Trust me, Leila. I know you more than you think and believe me; everyone _will_ love you." Her smile was superior as she led me through the empty living room into the dining room where her whole family was seated around a large oak table. Only one seat was empty between Esme and Jasper. I eyed it suddenly feeling wildly unsure. _What was I supposed to do! Was this a test? Did they want to see if I would give the seat to Alice or be rude and take it myself? Ugh! Why did things have to be so difficult!_

I noticed Jasper's eyes tighten and felt very peaceful all of the sudden. _Whoa! _I realized he had done that, as my mind was perfectly clear and I knew I didn't suddenly make myself feel better. I was still wondering what to do about the one chair! Carlisle smiled at my hesitancy. "Why don't you sit with us Leila?" I looked unsure at Alice. She smiled before I could say a word and replied to my unanswered question. "Oh I don't need a chair. I'll sit with Jasper."

I felt my face wrinkle in confusion. "How did you know what I…" She laughed in her tinkling voice and laid a friendly hand on my back. "I saw what you were going to ask. Now come sit down." I allowed her to guide me and seat me in the available chair. She leapt lightly into Jasper's lap, as if it were her favorite place in the world to sit. When I looked around at the seven vampires I realized only the blonde woman was missing.

Before I could follow that new train of thought my attention was recaptured by Esme. She took my hand and squeezed it lightly as she smiled warmly at me. It was very reassuring and made me feel peaceful in a way I knew was real.

"Leila, would you be able to tell us about yourself?" Carlisle asked in a gentle voice.

I looked at him. "Like, what kind of stuff do you want to know?"

He smiled kindly. "Well, do you know how long it has been since you were changed?"

I froze as the remembrance of fire assailed me. _No, no, no!_ I wasn't even going to think about that. Forcing the panic that accompanied the memory of pain I bit my lower lip and looked down. "Uh, could I ask you something first?" My voice was a timid whisper.

"Of course. You can ask anything," Carlisle sounded like my dad when he answered. I took a deep breathe before asking in a rush.

"What _am_ I?" My question hung in the air. No one breathed, no one spoke; there was utter silence. I was almost sure I already knew, but since I still wanted to deny it, I wanted absolute confirmation.

"What do you think you are?" This came from Jasper and I turned to look at him. His serious demeanor and ramrod posture was at odds with Alice draped across his lap, her arm slung around his neck. I narrowed my eyes as I glared at him. "I wouldn't have asked if I knew, would I?" I asked scathingly. Somehow his question had really irritated me.

Across the table Emmett smirked and raised his eyebrows. "Feisty, feisty!"

Carlisle gave him a look and put a hand up to quiet him before turning back to me. "What did your sire tell you when you woke up?" I looked at him in utter confusion. "Huh? What sire?" _Did he mean my dad? What would my dad have told me even if he had been with me?_

I was staring at Carlisle completely bewildered when Edward answered my unspoken question. "Your sire is the one who changed you. Not your father."

_Changed me into what?_ I didn't know who changed me into whatever I was. I felt discombobulated and like nothing made sense. Everyone was looking at me, making me feel very insecure. _Why wouldn't they stop asking me stupid questions and just give me a clear answer?_

I saw a look pass between Carlisle and Edward before Carlisle nodded almost imperceptibly. "Leila, we're vampires."

I sucked in a breath. _I knew it! Oh shit. Seriously! I didn't think vampires actually existed! Oh my god, I was going to have to kill people to eat forever? What about food? I love food!_

"So I'm a vampire too, right?" I asked.

Carlisle nodded. "Yes; although you seem to have a few anomalies_." Anomalies? What did he mean by that? Was he saying I was a freak? That I wasn't as good as them? What was wrong with me that made me so different from them? _

"You are a vampire for sure, but you seem to still have your heartbeat. It only beats every thirty-six seconds, but it is there." I frowned as he said this.

"Is that bad or just weird? Will I be okay if my heart beats or is it what made me sick?" _I needed to get out of here_. I felt confused and claustrophobic for some reason. I longed to just run free and feel the wind as I hurtled through the forest.

"Honestly, I don't know what made you unwell. I have never seen a vampire with any sort of ailment before." Carlisle looked almost uncomfortable to have to admit not knowing what could possibly be wrong with me. "If you would so desire, we would like for you to stay with us. I must admit, I am most fascinated to find out more about you."

"Honey, who created you?" Esme asked from my right.

I looked at her, panic flashing through my mind like neon lights. _I didn't want to think about him!_ I couldn't remember his eyes and the inherent evilness I felt from him. It was terrifying! I didn't want to remember the pain that followed my _'encounter'_ with him. _Oh God!_ It was like I was reliving it every time I thought of it.

My thoughts raced as my breathing sped up to the point of hyperventilation. I anxiously tried to slam the lid down on the thoughts flooding my mind with horrific images and feelings. Suddenly a cool hand closed over my left hand and I felt pervasive peace infuse my entire being. It was so thick and heavy I could barely keep my eyes from closing.

I turned my head and looked at Jasper. "What are you doing to me?" The words were clear but I knew without the superpowers of vampirism they would have come out slurred. I was so lethargic and almost sleepy. It was a little creepy because a part of me knew for sure that it was coming from someone other than me. I was pretty sure it was Jasper.

I looked at Esme. "I don't want to remember that. It hurt too much. Can I go lay down, I feel really tired." _I needed to get away. There was something wrong. I couldn't think clearly with so many people around me. What was wrong though? I was dying for lack of people just days ago and now I needed to escape them if even just for a few minutes. I wanted to cry. I didn't feel like a big girl. I felt like a little child that didn't understand why everything had to change so suddenly and horribly._

If not for Jasper's hand and the calm I was convinced his touch was bringing I would be a quivering mass of hysteria right at the moment. As it was, all I could do was think around it.

Esme brought me out of my reverie with a hand rubbing my back. "This must be very difficult for you, but it would be really helpful to know more about you." I yanked my hand from under Jasper's. _Helpful for who?_ I thought suspiciously.

"Don't think about the pain," she continued. "Why don't you just tell us about what you have done since you woke up." Her smile was sweet and motherly.

_Okay, that's not very hard_. I thought back to the moment when my body was finally, blessedly pain free.

So I told them every little boring detail of every inane, boring moment of wandering the forest. I told them of seeing them and the thrill of coming around their house. Of going up to Canada, and coming back down because for some crazy reason I had missed them without ever having met them.

I did not tell them of exacting justice against my attacker. I didn't want them to know that… yet. It was just self-preservation, I had to know them first before revealing my capabilities.

"I miss my family," I whispered after telling them of my adventures. "I went back and looked in my house after a little while. I was scared what I would do to them if I went in, so I watched for a long time from a tree. I had seen a newspaper so I knew every one thought I was dead."

I looked down at my hands. "All I want is to talk to them one more time. I want them to know I'm okay and not to be sad because I'm not really dead." I played with the edge of my shirt. "That's probably stupid huh? That I care so much about them thinking I'm dead?"

"Leila, how much time did you spend around your family's house?" This was from Edward who sat directly across from me. He had a slightly dazed expression on his face. I shrugged and answered quickly.

"Just a few hours. I left before dawn. Why?"

He looked at Carlisle directing his answer to his father rather than me. "I have never seen such vivid, full memories of a human life. It's as if they haven't faded at all." Looking to me he asked, "Have you had a hard time remembering anything. Has anything been just a vague picture rather than a full color memory?"

I looked at him strangely. "No, not at all. It's really brutal sometimes," I admitted wearily. "My memories are almost more realistic than before. Like if I close my eyes when I think of things, I can smell and hear and feel things in them." I exhaled sadly, "Sometimes I wish I couldn't remember, it would be so much easier."

Everyone was looking at me in amazement. I smiled self-consciously in the silence. "I don't know why I'm different. I don't know why I got weirdly sick. And I definitely don't know why I was picked by whoever to become this. All I know is I hate it, I hate being alone, but it's almost overwhelming to be around anyone. It's like all my senses and nerves are completely overloaded and about to short circuit. I just want to be happy and safe and not lonely."

Esme took my hands in one of hers and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Oh honey, we want that for you too." I felt love and care wash over me from her.

_I wish I could make it all better for her._ Her voice echoed in my head. I smiled gratefully at her. She really cared. She was just a natural mother.

"What I hate the most is I can't even eat!" I growled in frustration. "I have to drink those stupid pouches because every time I have tried to eat a… person," I felt a vague sense of shame as I said it, "I can not bite them." All of my frustration at this inability was conveyed in my tone of voice.

Edward's brows were pulled together in fierce concentration. Carlisle cocked his head almost questioningly. "What do you mean you can't bite them? You can't bear to bite a human?" He sounded excited at the prospect.

I shook my head vehemently, my hair swinging around my shoulders in a shimmery river. "Oh I could bear to bite a human," I answered scathingly. "I would love nothing more than to do that." My sight glazed over as I imagined the taste of my pouches, only hot and fresh coming from a live source. I moaned with longing, my throat burning with need at the prospect of food.

"She can't bite them Carlisle. When she tries, her jaw literally locks when her teeth touch their skin." I concentrated once again at the sound of Edward's voice. He was looking at me with fascination in his eyes. "Amazing. I have never seen anything like it!" _So apparently he had seen my aborted attempts at eating through my memories_. I felt embarrassed for some reason.

"Pathetic, huh?" I asked him.

He just shook his head in denial and wonderment as if it was the most awesome thing he had ever heard of. "Not at all Leila. Do you realize what this means for you? You will never have to feel the guilt of taking a life if you can not take one." I looked at him like he was crazy. _Did he even realize how badly I wanted to take a life? _

"I know the thirst makes you want it, but afterwards you will feel so awful. Believe me when I tell you this." I narrowed my eyes. _'Whatever,'_ I answered him mentally.

"Oh, my! I didn't even think." Carlisle spoke in a quick voice. "You must be very thirsty," he addressed me. As he said it my throat burned stronger, yet the thought of drinking again made my whole being cringe and withdraw from the very notion. I quickly shook my head in the negative, not even wanting to contemplate it. "No, I don't want any right now."

Esme smiled encouragingly at me. "It might be good for you to hunt though, Leila. It helps your control if you drink often as a newborn."

I yanked my hands from her. "No! I don't want it!" I just about screamed, shoving my chair back from the table. Alice was up with her hands on my shoulders before I could stand.

"It's okay Leila," she said soothingly. "You don't have to hunt. Why don't we go upstairs and I'll show you all your clothes." I didn't miss the small glance she sent towards Esme and Carlisle or the infinitesimal shake of her head.

I followed her meekly from the room, eyeing the rest of her family both warily and a bit ashamed at my outburst towards Esme. Why was I having such violent mood swings? I wasn't ever like this before. It seemed now that if I felt anything just a little, it blossomed into a full-blown version of the emotion. I would have to get a hold of myself.

Alice started a cheerful monologue of clothes and shoes, accessories and shopping as she led me up the stairs, through my room and into the walk in closet. I half listened to her as I realized that she was doing this as a diversion for me. I shrugged philosophically. _Why not forget all the heavy stuff for the moment and enjoy the experience._


	5. Chapter 5

Esme's POV

_As Alice led Leila upstairs to her room all eyes zeroed in immediately on Edward. As he was the only one privy to her thoughts, he would know the most of what was going on. He seemed to be thinking very hard, frowning as if he was unsure of something._

"_Edward?" Carlisle addressed him. It was a well-rounded question regardless of being one word._

_Edward's head snapped up to look at Carlisle. "It's very peculiar. It almost seems like there's pieces ripped out of her memory. I see fluid thoughts and then there will be a silent black hole and then her memory will pick up. And she always feels angry or afraid when there's a forgotten space. It's like she doesn't want to remember, so she just blocks them."_

"_What if it's like a kind of self-protective shield. Obviously someone either tried to feed on her or deliberately changed her. She says she remembers things so clearly, so maybe she has to forget because it's too traumatic." Bella's voice was quiet and sympathetic. _

"_I have a question," Emmett said. "Bella said in the news report it said there was a lot of blood leading to the river. So my question is, if a vampire bit her, why the hell would she bleed out? The venom should have sealed the wound." We all stared at him for a full second in stunned silence. I don't think any of us had even caught that particular detail enough to think on that train of thought. _

_Edward was in the living room and back at the table in a millisecond with the laptop. He rapidly typed on keys and had brought up windows of information._

"_It says here in an official police report there was estimated to be at least five pints of blood, which a human being her size could not survive more than mere minutes without transfusion."_

"_Emmett is right," Carlisle said in a tight voice. "She was obviously attacked by a vampire, but she should not have bled from the wound. Unless he tore her with his hands, then there would have not been a scar from the venom. I did notice her scar was very faint on her neck though." He frowned I thought. "It struck me as slightly odd, like the bite had been very shallow. I think we will have to get answers somehow." He smiled fatherly at the children._

"_Why don't we give her a day or so to relax and just observe her. Of course as she is a newborn we should not leave her alone, but give her time without questions to maybe get to know us."_

_I slipped my hand into his. "Carlisle, wouldn't it be good for her to hunt? It will make her less dangerous if she isn't so thirsty."_

_I saw Edward shake his head and turned my attention his way. "Why not?" I challenged him._

"_She feels utter revulsion at the thought of drinking right now and her emotions are wildly unstable. The good news is that she realizes she is out of control and wants to stabilize emotionally. If we push her she might snap again. Jasper and I will monitor her moods and thoughts and keep everyone else abreast of the situation."_

_I knew he was right but at the same time I wanted to just scoop her up and fix everything that was wrong and just be her mom. But life wasn't that easy and sometimes you had to have patience to reap a reward in the end. It would be so worth it though, if she ended up with our family. There was something so special about her. I couldn't tell you exactly what, but somehow I just _knew_._


	6. Chapter 6

**LEILA POV**

_**Self-Imposition**_

I lay on the bed just staring at the canopy. I was _so_ bored. Like claw my eyes out scream my head off and kill myself, bored. I was self-quarantined in this room and I was starting to question my reasons.

Reason one. I didn't want a repeat of the first night I was here. A very valid point I conceded. My emotions still dangerously seesawed constantly. Everything I felt was magnified ten times. So I was hiding in here, hoping that by doing nothing and being exposed to no stimuli, I could remain even-keeled.

Reason two. They were, for all intents and purposes, strangers and I was just a guest, if you could call me that. I mean, I had met them and everything, but I didn't _know_ them. And I felt really weird about invading their home and life so abruptly. They didn't seem to mind that much, but something about the whole situation made me very wary.

Reason three. The longer I hid here pretending that nothing existed, the longer I didn't have to decide how I would progress in life. I was sixteen. What the hell was I going to do? I had nowhere to go, no money and I couldn't go outside in the sun.

I turned on my side, deceptively restful. There was always someone sitting guard in the big overstuffed chair in the corner. Careful eyes watched me consistently even when it seemed they were otherwise occupied. It had been forty-seven hours and twenty-two minutes since I had woken up. I was getting very itchy to move.

The big dark haired one, Emmett they called him, was off tonight. I kind-of liked Emmett. He would talk to me if I started conversation. He was funny unintentionally and didn't take everything as seriously as the others did.

Jasper sat broodingly in the chair right. He was the only one who didn't read or do a craft or whatever else the others pretended to do when present. He just stared.

Him actually sitting was an improvement. Before Alice had told him to sit, he would stand like an army sentry next to the door for three hours at a time. Though I knew it was perfectly comfortable for him to do so, it still made me feel weird to watch him.

I sighed as I stared at the far wall. Esme had designed this room I had been told.

_She had excellent taste in decorating,_ I thought. Three of the walls were painted in a soft light peach. Not too orange, not too pink. It was just the perfect color.

The wall I was presently looking at was patterned. When I had first seen it I had thought it was just beautiful wallpaper. In one of my thorough explorations in the past two days I realized it was actually hand painted silk stretched taunt and kept in place by intricate molding and a swirling chair rail.

I absolutely loved it. The ivory silk had been painted with a slightly Victorian design. Peach flowers two shades darker than the walls were accented by gold and pale sage green. Tiny teal flowers blended surprisingly well with the overall light design.

I counted every leaf in the design and started on the gold curly Q's. Half way through I grew increasingly antsy. It was like the feeling I used to get when I was little and had to sit still. A creeping up my spine that demanded I twitch or move.

I was thirsty. My throat burned and I thought longingly of my pouches. The baby, Renesmee had gotten her little hands on them while the adults weren't so focused on her. I had heard her parents chastising her and Bella had apologized later. I could tell she felt really bad.

I wasn't mad. She was just a little kid, not even two years old no matter how smart she was. Little children were ruled by their needs.

Now though, I would literally kill for blood. I thought of the taste and imagined it hot and pulsing from a live victim. My throat burned uncontrollably, my gaze going red. I was going insane here doing nothing.

I climbed slowly off the bed and walked casually to the bathroom. Jasper stood and I felt his penetrating gaze on my back. I didn't turn but I was fully aware when he began a slow silent stride across the room.

"Leila?" His voice was low and calm yet I knew he was tense. I didn't really deviate in my behavior when he was on guard duty.

I continued walking very slowly and crossed the threshold into the large sumptuous bathroom. I turned to him as I gripped the doorknob. The smile I gave him was falsely sweet.

"Don't worry. There's not much trouble I can get into in a bathroom." His face was pinched slightly as he seemed to debate whether or not to let me close the door. My smile became genuine as I realized that he couldn't really stop me if I didn't allow him to.

I shut the door in his face. Once it was closed and I was alone, the bad feelings I had been entertaining gathered momentum and surged to the surface. I felt an overwhelming urge to scream and smash everything in sight.

I locked my hands by my sides and mentally challenged the little devil within to cool it. She just laughed.

_You don't have to stay here imprisoned in this room forever. _

_You're thirsty. Why not go hunt? _

_Really hunt!_

I stared at myself in the mirror as She-Devil jeered. My eyes were eggplant colored from my lack of food. Dark circles had formed making me look severely anemic. My face had a grayish cast to it and I felt weaker than yesterday.

_Why _not_ hunt?_ I asked myself. _Why was I laying there like a weak pathetic female?_

I washed my face more from habit than need and felt marginally better. A neat feature I had discovered from my explorations was a narrow door that led from the bathroom through a short narrow passage into the vast walk-in closet.

I utilized it now considering in the intermittent moment what kind of clothes I would wear. _Something dark and kick ass,_ I decided. I searched with lighting speed through the shelves and poles and drawers until I had assembled an outfit befitting my mood.

The skintight leather pants were a little cliché, I acknowledged but they looked damn good. Coupled with a deep purple v-neck shirt and a black buckle-riddled jacket I looked hot. I found a pair of boots that had a hint of biker chick to them and pulled them on.

Darting back into the bathroom I checked myself over in the mirror.

Wow! That was all I could think for a second. The purple of the top accentuated my eyes, making them look even more exotic than before. The only thing out of place was my French braid. I quickly took it apart; not bothering with a brush and shook it loose.

Perfect! I looked for one last moment into the mirror, the little devil danced as I started plotting my escape. It wouldn't be hard in the least. I grabbed a tube of plum lipstick as I thought and swiped a layer on, adding mascara, liner and shadow to my eyes in twenty seconds.

I stood back and smiled evilly. I had to admit, I looked like a vampire; an embrace evil, feed on humans gluttonously, kick-your-ass; vampire.

I wasn't angry in the sense of wanting to destroy things any more. It was as if the thirst was driving me to do this – and a little touch of pure unadulterated teenage rebellion.

It had only been about two or three minutes since I had closed the door on Jasper. I opened it suddenly, anger and belligerence clearly on my face. I didn't try to calm myself. If anything I fed it.

I was going hunting. I wasn't going to fast because someone else thought it was better to be vegetarian. I loved meat. I was carnivorous and proud of it. I smiled calculatingly at Jasper who stood four feet away.

He had his hands clasped loosely in front of him and I knew it was just a front. He was ready for action anytime any minute.

"Hi," I said as if there was nothing wrong. Irritation and thirsty fury rolled off of me in great waves. His eyes narrowed and his mouth tightened and I felt the beginnings of his little talent start to creep over me.

"Ah! Relax right?" I said sardonically to him. My smile became more naughty and I laughed a quiet yet slightly bad girl laugh. "Try it!" I told him. "You might like the feeling."

I saw his eyes register something wrong and then his knees buckled and he dropped to the floor, aware yet unable to follow me or call out.

I didn't bother to watch what would happen next. I was to the window, had the sash raised and was landing silently all in the same second.

Not bothering to check direction or look to see if someone was following, I ran headlong into the woods. I pushed myself farther and faster than I had ever tried before.

Even with my now exceptional sight, the trees started blurring as I increased my speed. My feet hardly felt the forest floor; I skimmed over most of it. After a few minutes I saw faint light in the distance slightly to the right of me. I turned myself in that direction and reached the edge of a large town in moments. I slowed to a fast human run as I entered the town limits.

A square green sign announced: WELCOME to PORT ANGELES. I had heard of this little place. It seemed to me that there was a slight chance of me finding an undesirable to feed myself with tonight.

_I was still good_, I reasoned with the nearly silenced little angel voice. I wasn't so far gone that I would kill a good person. I would look for someone that wasn't such a sterling character. It had nothing to do with looks either. Even if they were good looking, that didn't make them good.

_You have to eat though. Don't be too picky!_

I grimaced as my She-Devil once again rebuked me. _I am going to be picky_ I forcefully informed her and then I smelled it – the warm delicious scent of a living human. I heard the faint beating of its heart and inhaled a deep breath.

I could have swooned at the smell. It was better than anything I had ever experience. I wasn't sure who it was but I knew where they were. I followed my nose and turned the corner.

A tiny old woman with wizened features hobbled along leading a small dog. It stopped every other foot to smell everything they passed.

I sighed in disgust and frustration. I wasn't going to eat an old lady. I continued quickly down the cross street and in a few hundred yards saw the lights of a main stretch of town. Bars and restaurants, shops and a variety of businesses some opened, some closed for the evening lined a wide street.

Perfect.

I strolled down the avenue, slowly, provocatively. Whistles and catcalls came from all directions, mostly young guys who were slightly or deeply intoxicated.

Though every person I passed had a good food smell to them, I was sifting through the scents as I walked.

I passed an alley between what looked to be a soft-core biker dive and a cheap take out joint. A flash of movement in the dark shadows made me look closer and I realized a large man was hitting a woman.

_Oh great, just another night in rape city_, I thought with disgust as I crept into the shadows towards them.

I realized the woman was very young, nineteen or twenty at the oldest. The man on the other hand was in his upper thirties. He grabbed her by the throat with one meaty hand and with the other he ripped her jacket open. Buttons hit the ground with a light metallic clink. I was behind him smiling wickedly before he could progress to her blouse.

The brunette girl's eyes widened when she saw me but her hands still struggled to free her neck. I could see she could not breathe.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" I challenged him in a mocking tone, my voice a hypnotizing ring. The girl was dropped with a thud in a graceless heap, as he turned – both stunned and angered by my sudden intrusion.

I saw the girl scramble to her feet, face streaked with tears and eyes wide with fright. She frantically grabbed the sides of her jacket wrapping it firmly around her. She snatched her purse from were it had fallen and hugged it to her chest.

And she just stood there, staring at me.

I looked at her incredulously for a split second. Humans were so dumb! "Run!" I commanded her. She didn't need a second instruction. My voice sent her whirling and she disappeared into the brightly lit street in seconds.

The man was standing looking at me now with black fury. He seemed to be unable to speak for a moment and then he growled. It was a poor imitation of a real growl.

"You shouldn't have interfered, girl. Now I'm going to have to teach you some manners." He advanced on me one step and I rolled my eyes.

"Please! What would you know about manners?" I taunted, a thrill of blood lust spearing through me as I anticipated the outcome of this little match. He didn't even know what was in store for him.

I darted back one leap, about ten steps for him and cocked my head to the side. I closed my eyes as I breathed him in.

"So meaty!" I jeered, quoting a phrase from a satiric show I loved. He wasn't exactly the person I would have picked, but at least I wouldn't feel bad in the least when he ceased to live.

His eyes took on a faint gleam of uncertainty, instinct trying to warn him that I was dangerous. Years of being the biggest bully in his world made him ignore the warning. _Big mistake_.

"Yeah," he sneered menacingly. "I'm a lot meatier than you little girl. And now I'm going to have me a little fun." He slithered clumsily toward me and I laughed malevolently as I pictured him as he died at my hands.

"Yeah, let's have some fun. I think I'll bite you." This was said in a sarcastic tone that I made to sound provocative to his human ears.

He smiled widely, snake eyes gleaming as he mistook my words. "Come on baby," he said spreading his arms wide and attempting to move his hips suggestively.

Had I not been consumed with my thirst, senses given over to the impending kill, I would have laughed hysterically. He was pathetic!

My muscles tensed as I prepared to spring, glancing once toward the mouth of the alley to make sure no one was watching. With a growl I leapt. My mind registered a familiar scent, yet I ignored it in my desperate quest to quench my thirst.

The man's eyes widen with terror as he heard my growl and I landed lightly on his chest. The gravity of his situation seemed to register at long last in his narrow mind. I snapped his neck sideways and lunged downward, teeth exposed, mind blanked to everything except the determined will to bite him.

_I was going to do it_, I thought in exultation. I snarled for the extra fear factor as I snapped my jaws closed.

It was as if I had tried to bite through a diamond with human teeth. My jaw locked when my teeth hit his skin. I tried again and again and when it was clearly apparent that I would have no more success this time than the previous, I screamed in frustration.

I launched myself backward and kicked at a dumpster in rage. The side buckled as if it had been hit with a cannon ball.

The man looked at me in horror for a moment and then when it was a surety in his mind that I really wasn't going to hurt him he smile cockily.

"What's the matter little girl? You too scared of me? I thought you wanted to bite me?" He reached forward lecherously. "Maybe I'll bite you instead." I could see in his eyes that he really thought I was too weak willed to kill him.

I scowled at him with derision. "Yeah, good luck with that. You were just the wrong flavor." I turned my back to walk away and felt his hand on my shoulder. I stopped and shook my head, clicking my tongue reprovingly.

"You don't touch a lady unless you ask first," I said in the reproving tone of a mother to a small child. He barked out an overconfident laugh.

"Oh? And what are you gonna do about it?"

I sighed in disgust. "Do you wanna-be bad guys ever get any new lines?"

I whirled with inhuman speed.

"You know what I'm gonna do about it?" I asked in a silky voice laced with steel. "I'm going to kick your ass."

I ghosted forward and grabbed him by the throat in a parody of what he had done moments before to the helpless human girl. I jacked him in the air and with my free hand ripped his greasy leather jacket down the front the same as he had done. And I hurtled him up and towards the brick wall.

The momentum snapped his head and extremities forward and his back slammed the wall and he dropped like a stone to the ground. He groaned and moved to right himself. Before he could stand I was over him with one booted foot on his back.

I was considering how to finish him off most satisfactorily when the familiar scent became stronger, breaking through the haze that surrounded me.

"Leila," the quiet voice that spoke was too low for the man under my foot to hear but I refused to turn to it. "Leila. If you are not going to feed, you should not kill. It will wound you later."

"Don't try your calm down crap on me." I snarled in an equally low voice. But I removed my foot from his back and leaned down to look in his face.

"You ever touch another girl in my state and I'll do things to you that will make you wish I killed you this time. Got it?"

He nodded quickly, a tiny whimper escaping his lips. I could see pain and true fright in his eyes now. I smiled in satisfaction.

"Good."

I backed away from him slowly, feeling almost ashamed to look at Jasper. He was always so serious, so controlled and now here he had caught me in a state of frenzied thirst, attempting to quench it by slaughtering a human being.

I didn't want to see the censure or pity in his eyes so I turned over my left shoulder, keeping my face averted as I walked quickly towards the blackness at the far end of the alley.

A surprisingly gentle yet firm hand caught my arm and I was too surprised to resist as he turned me to face him. I looked stubbornly at the ground and was grateful when he didn't attempt to force me to look at him.

"Why do you feel shame?" His voice was calm yet held no tolerance for evasion. I felt my face scrunch into a frown and I shook my head wordlessly.

He did not speak, merely looked back at me waiting for my answer. I sighed half frustrated and half embarrassed at how volatile I was.

"You probably think I'm a monster or a complete animal. I know your family doesn't hunt humans so it's probably sick to see me try. And the worst part is that I can't even follow through. I don't know why. I try but it doesn't work."

"You think I am repulsed by seeing you hunt a low life human?" I saw the tiniest smirk tilt his lips.

I shrugged nonchalantly as if it didn't matter to me. "Well, I mean I know you don't do stuff like that and you probably think I'm awful for wanting to kill someone."

"Leila, desiring the blood of humans is the nature of vampires. It is as natural as a human wanting food and water. Just because my family chooses to drink from animals does not mean the thirst and longing for human blood is not ever present." He smiled a tight humorless grimace.

I glanced up at him. "How do you not do it? It's all I want, all I can think about. And I can't even bite them. I want it so bad!" The last bit came out a plaintive whine. I felt like a child who was being refused the ice cream they wanted.

"I can't even bite them! What kind of vampire can't bite a human? I just want to be normal." I was starting to get angry. I knew with one small corner of my brain that I should calm down but I couldn't resist the red wave of fury that was steadily invading me being.

I put up a commanding finger as I felt a ripple of peace start rolling over me. "Don't even think it."

It stopped instantly.

He started walking quickly in the opposite direction of the alley and I followed him without thought. The intoxicating scent of the humans was fading the further away from Port Angeles we moved and I whimpered. "I'm so thirsty!" I turned, wanting to go back but he stopped me with a hold on my arm.

"I know you are. I will take you hunting now." His eyes were sympathetic and almost affectionate somehow. We reached the tree line and he was off like a bullet, tearing through the forest. I kept pace with him easily.

He stopped short and I was yanked to a stop as his hand was still around my wrist.

"Leila. Close your eyes and concentrate." I obediently did so. "Now, do you hear or smell anything that appeals to you?"

I inhaled deeply tasting the air, listening for anything I could find that would be 'appealing'. Suddenly I smelled an earthy, slightly appetizing odor and heard a beating heart. My head snapped up and turned in its direction and I was off, slicing through the trees in pursuit of it.

It was a big cat of some kind I realized as it came into view. Its instinct had kicked in and it was running from me. I giggled maniacally, somehow amused that a predator was running from me, a girl. I leapt and landed on its back. With a hiss and snarl it bucked and rolled, swiping viciously at me as it screamed in fury and terror. I growled and lunged for its throat. I felt my eyes roll back in my head as I began feeding.

It was amazing! It was hot and thick and I couldn't get enough. I squeezed its body as I sucked greedily, trying to get more blood as it ran dry. I threw down the carcass and stood, roaring in frustration that my meal was done before I was full. I kicked the body viciously and then whirled in a crouch as I heard something approaching me from behind.

Jasper stood a distance with his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "There is more food to be had, Leila. You do not have to assault the carcass." I slowly stood erect, eyeing him warily. He slowly reached a hand to me and I cautiously inched closer to him. I knew it was Jasper and that he would not hurt me – I think. But somehow I was on guard against everything. I perceived every move and look as potential danger.

Very slowly I reached out and took his hand. He gave me a tight but encouraging smile. "Now, let's go find you some more food."

I found three deer - which I didn't like so much and a fox -which was better but not as good as the mountain lion. I felt pleasantly full and realized that was the first time I had hot blood. All my pouches had been taken from the storage tanks of blood banks so they were not warm.

I felt peaceful now that I wasn't crazed with thirst and I looked at Jasper. "Thanks for dinner."

He smiled with real humor at my choice of words. "You are most welcome." I followed him home, realizing as I ran that for the first time since the burning stopped I was truly happy.

"Hey Jasper?" I asked as we ran. He looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry about turning on you earlier."

He cocked his head. "Turning on me?"

I smiled ruefully. "Yeah. Turning your calm down crap back at you. It was kinda mean. So… sorry."

He looked perplexed for a moment before smiling slightly. "Apology accepted ma'am." He shook his head almost to himself as we neared home.

We leapt the river in tandem and I saw Alice through the tree line waiting for us. Emmett stood in his usual stance, arms folded over his muscled chest as he watched from the porch.

With clearer vision and mind I realized now that it was slightly strange that no one had met up with us sooner or come with Jasper in the first place.

As Jasper reached Alice, she smiled lovingly at him and did her little clinging vine routine. He smiled back at her and this time I noticed that though it seemed as though he was unemotional; he was very in love and protective over her.


	7. Chapter 7

_**LEILA POV**_

Not much had changed in the two days since Jasper had taken me hunting. I still kept a solid vigil in my room. Now I felt even worse about my freak-out session. I knew he had told the others and I didn't want to see the judgment in their faces.

There was a knock on my door and Emmett sauntered into my room at my quiet _'come in'_. "Hey killer!" His greeting was light hearted and playful and I growled at him.

"I'm _not_ a killer! What kind of vampire can't even bite a stupid human?" My disgusted question was laced with fury over my incapability to do just that.

He crossed to where I was standing and looped a massive arm around my shoulders. I knew he felt me stiffen but he ignored it and continued. "Don't feel bad princess. Everyone has to have at least one flaw. I mean look at my siblings. Each and every one of them is a freak in some way." His mischievous grin pulled an answering smile from me.

"So how are you feeling now that you have actually _killed_ some food?"

I thought about his question for a moment. "Actually, I feel really good. No dizziness, no weird feelings at all. I feel really strong too."

He laughed ruefully. "Leila, you _are_ really strong." Then a calculating gleam entered his eyes and I narrowed mine in response. "How would you feel doll-face, if I challenged you to a little sparring match?"

I felt excitement flare and I smiled eagerly. "Time and place. I would love to kick your butt." This time his laugh was mocking yet excited. "Now. Outside."

I glanced quickly down at myself to see what I had on. T-shirt and sweatpants – perfect. I was out the window and running across the lawn before he landed with a playful growl.

This was going to be fun.

ESME POV

"_Oh my god! No!" Rosalie's angry explosion had me whirling from what I was doing and flying down the stairs. _

"_Emmett!" she shrieked as she yanked open the door and flew into the yard. Bella and Renesmee were already following her and within a second the rest of the family was outside._

_I crossed to Carlisle and grabbed his arm. "Should we stop them?" I asked quietly._

'Them' _was Emmett and Leila fighting. I would have been alarmed except for the laughter that went along with their wrestling. Their faces also showed that although they were seriously going at it, they weren't angry._

_Leila caught her feet on Emmett's chest and launched herself backward._

"_Come on big guy! I thought you said I would be dead meat in a matter of seconds." Her taunting words were accompanied by a tinkling laugh and her eyes twinkled with excitement and good humor._

_Emmett took off across the yard with a low growl. If I didn't know him so well, I would have thought he was angry now, but he still had a half smirk on his face._

_They went around and around, over and under wrestling, neither one giving in. Although the scene was almost identical to Emmett fighting Edward or Jasper, something about seeing Leila's smaller frame engaged in combat with Emmett made me edgy. _

What if he hurt her?

_Edward looked at me ironically at my unspoken question. _

"_Does it look like he can hurt her? Watch closely. Who has the upper hand?"_

_I watched intently, analyzing their scuffle and realized Edward was right. Rather than just holding her own, she was putting Emmett on the defensive. _

Well! This should be interesting_. _

_Their fighting was still going strong, no sign of either one wanting to stop, when I caught a faint scent on the south blowing wind. Before I could even fully register or say anything about it, Leila stopped dead and her entire body tightened. I saw her eyes darken as she inhaled._

_Emmett, oblivious to her reason for stopping so suddenly, tackled her from the right side. She went down and he crowed in triumph. With a ferocious growl she threw him off and stood erect, every sense tuned into something unknown and instinctively dangerous._

"_Wolves!" Jasper hissed and Edward's eyes widened. "We didn't let them know did we?" He instantly ran north, Bella and Renesmee following him instinctively._

_Jasper was already beside Leila and Emmett, having smelled them too, flanked her on the other side. "Leila, come with us now." Jasper spoke in a low modulated voice, but there was no mistaking his authority. She turned to look directly at him and I inhaled in shock. Her eyes were a vivid purple, a color I had never seen in either human or vampire._

"_You must go now. Take your family and protect them," She said in a musical, almost absent tone. She pushed away from his hand and began running after Edward and Bella._

_Emmett caught her from behind in a bear hug and Jasper leapt in front of her, strong hands on her upper arms. "Stop!" He commanded her. She froze, confusion clearly written on her face. "I must protect. Protect the good." She whispered as if she was repeating something she was hearing._

"_I know this is confusing, but trust us. Come inside with me. Will you do that?" Jasper's voice was persuasive and gentle. I was_ _worried._ What if she didn't listen to Jasper? _It would be a disaster if she pursued the wolves_. Please Leila. Listen to Jasper! I thought desperately.

_Her eyes darted over to where I stood with Carlisle and Alice. Her gaze locked with mine for a full second and then I saw her visibly slump in Emmett's hold. She allowed Jasper to take her hand and lead her towards the house. Emmett walked in tandem, still maintaining his hold around her. If I had not known the gravity of the situation, it would have been hilarious._

_Once inside she shook off his hug. "Why would you not want me to protect you?" She asked Jasper angrily. "You sent Edward and Bella and a BABY_!" _Her purple eyes were furious and she hissed as she breathed. "I am much stronger. I am here to protect not to watch you send a baby to take care of things!"_

"_Leila, why do you think you are here to protect?" Carlisle interjected standing closer and diverting her attention from Jasper with a calming hand. She turned and looked his way, her head cocked in bemusement. "I don't know? I just smelled something bad and I knew I was supposed to save you from it." _

_Emmett snickered. "Baby doll, we don't need you to save us from something bad. Unfortunately, there is no danger from what you sensed, it only smells something bad." She looked at him in utter bewilderment. "What is that supposed to mean?" _

_Jasper shook his head almost imperceptibly at Carlisle who nodded just as invisibly. Carlisle smiled paternally at Leila. "There are animals, dogs for instance that smell most unpleasant to us. There is no need to molest an unsuspecting creature if there is no feeding from it."_

"_Eww! Edward and Bella were going to eat that! Yuck!" Like a typical newborn her attention was easily diverted. Jasper smiled tightly in relief. He turned and nodded once to me, letting me know she was well and truly calm._

"_Well, since our wrestling was so rudely interrupted by the dogs, what do you say we play us another game?" Emmett asked jovially, throwing his arm around her companionably. She stiffened instinctively. "Sure, just get your arm off of me!" She said between her gritted teeth. He laughed insouciantly. "Sugar britches, you're going to have to get over your aversion to touch." _

"Sugar britches?" _This was a unanimous question from Leila, Rosalie and I. "And I don't have an aversion to being touched_, _I just have an aversion to being touched by_ you." _Leila finished with a triumphant smile._

"_Yeah, yeah, whatever," he replied with a good-natured smile as he removed his arm from around her. "So what do you wanna play?"_

_She thought for a moment weighing him with narrowed gaze. "Pool," she responded after a moment. He stared blankly for a second. "Pool?"_

"_Yeah. Pool. Billiards. Table, balls, cues, sticks whatever…" Her reply was so purely sixteen-year-old girl that I laughed in delight. _

"_Uh, we don't have a pool table," Emmett told her, seeming to be disappointed to have to relay that fact to her. _

_Alice giggled and waggled her fingers at Emmett. "Oh yes we do! I saw this so I prepared!" She skipped across the room to the door that led to the first floor of the addition we had just added. With a flourish she opened it. "Tada!" I had of course seen it, but she had kept it a secret from the boys, making sure they had been hunting when the table and other contents of the room were delivered._

_The room was a gaming den. A professional pool table was in the back half of the room. There was a black leather couch with modern aluminum legs facing a huge flat screen TV. There was a Wii console, a Playstation, an Xbox and every other form of video gaming accoutrements. Along with a bookcase filled with DVD's and games._

_There were also old-fashioned arcade games along the right wall, including an Area 51, which Alice had insisted was absolutely necessary. "Sweet! Area 51," Leila crowed. "I love this game! I mean I know it's older but I used to play it with my brother Max at the movie theater all the time!" She turned to Emmett with an evil smile. "Prepare to have your butt whipped again Emmett."_

_He scoffed. "You didn't beat me before, the fight wasn't even over." She just raised her eyebrows with a look that said, _Uh-huh. Whatever.

_They were deeply engrossed in the vintage game, blowing up aliens with their orange and blue plastic guns, when Edward and Bella came in. Leila sniffed and turned to Bella._

"_Uck! How do you eat that? Just the smell on you is enough to make me gag!" Her attention was reclaimed when Emmett howled with glee. "Yes! Eat _that!"

_She whipped back around; Edward, Bella and the wolf smell completely forgotten. "Oh please," she said derisively. "That's the first time you've even gotten close to touching me and that was only because I was distracted." _

_Emmett smiled. "I'm still touching you," he said impudently, a play on words from their earlier confrontation. She grinned back at him, his irrepressible nature infectious. _

_I squeezed Carlisle's hand where it lay on my shoulder, both of us watching the interplay of our newest child with the rest of our family. Bella smiled as she came to stand beside me. "She likes Emmett, huh?" Her observation was nearly silent; her natural sensitivity making sure that she did nothing to potentially upset Leila. _

"_It seems that way, yes," my reply was modulated in the same volume. She nodded. "It's hard not to like Emmett. Jacob took Renesmee to Charlie's by the way. She's going to stay with him and Sue for a few days." _

_I smiled in lieu of an answer. That was nice. It was hard not to be selfish with Renesmee, but it was good for her to be around Charlie when she could. After all, we would have her for so much longer. _

"_As soon as Emmett has had enough punishment, I'm going to play you at something," Leila informed Jasper with a tinkling laugh as she killed Emmett yet again. "Pick your poison, since I'm pretty sure I could kick your butt too, I'll let you pick out the game." She told him with a quick sideways smirk. _

_Jasper smiled with good grace. "We'll see." _

_I could tell she amused him and it was so nice to finally see him connect with someone other than Alice. Edward had said his thoughts when he had returned from taking her hunting were surprisingly protective and affectionate. _

_Maybe Leila would bring an even greater wholeness to our family than what had already occurred with Bella and Renesmee. I just stood with my beloved husband basking in the afternoon light that streamed through the windows, utterly delighted with my amazing family._


	8. Chapter 8

**ESME POV**

"_If a person was fat and was turned into a vampire, would he be a fat vampire? Or would all the fat melt away from the heat?" The bizarre question from out of thin air had me looking up from my sketching. _

_Carlisle folded the paper he was reading in half and set it down on his knee as he turned his attention to the gorgeous blonde girl framed in the doorway. "Hello, Leila." _

_It had been six days since she and Emmett had wrestled. After the marathon of video games, Jasper and Emmett had insisted on taking her hunting. Their insistence had been done in a lighthearted teasing tone and she had agreed surprisingly fast. In the past few days she spent more time around us. She still spent hours in her room, but I saw every moment spent with us to be an improvement over her initial reticence. _

_Now Leila stood in the door of our library, her lilac dress a perfect frame for her coloring and unique eyes. I still couldn't forget the color her eyes had turned when she had smelled the wolves. They had not returned to red, but rather morphed into a lighter lavender color with gold flecks on the rim of her irises. They were shockingly beautiful. _

_She smiled sheepishly and stepped one foot into the room. "I know it's kind of a weird question, but I have all these things I've been wondering for weeks and you were the person I thought would know the most answers."_

_Carlisle smiled indulgently at her. "Of course you can ask me anything." He patted the seat next to him. "Come sit. I'll answer anything you want to know."_

_She glided across the floor and sat sideways in the corner of the sofa tucking one bare foot under her, her long hair swinging around her like a shimmering platinum river. _

"_Okay. Like, there's the fat question. Do they stay fat or get skinny? Cause I bet if some really fat people with eating disorders knew they could be skinny and perfect in ten days, they would probably go for it."_

_I chuckled quietly. Her thought process was both fascinating and funny. She had frequently made me laugh with her sense of humor._

"_I can't say for sure, because I have never actually seen a really fat person turned. But it is most likely the case that they would become if not skinny, than more proportionate." Suddenly his eyes sharpened and then he frowned at Leila. _

"_Did you say 'they would become skinny and perfect in _ten days'_?" His tone was shocked. _

_She shrugged and nodded. "Yeah. I mean however long it takes them to become a vampire. It only hurts for ten or eleven days if I remember right."_

_Carlisle gaped at her completely lost for words. The silence stretched for a long minute and Leila began to fidget uncomfortably. She stared at him, looking worriedly at his incredulous expression. "What? Did I say something wrong?"_

_He shook his head and hurried to reassure her. "No, no. Um, could you tell me what you remember of the time during your change?" _

_I heard steps down the hall and Jasper and Edward were at the door. Jasper immediately frowned at Carlisle and stepped into the room. Edward smiled at me. "Hello Esme." _

_Leila's head whipped around and she gasped quietly when she saw Jasper. With wide eyes, she edged closer to Carlisle. I got the feeling that she was still a little frightened of him. He in turn nodded cordially to her. _

_Apparently the boys thought something was up and had come to investigate. Jasper was still very on edge about Leila's temperament and was never far from wherever she happened to be. I knew his intentions were solely based on the motivation of keeping the family safe, so I didn't mind his vigilance. _

_Carlisle completely ignored the boys. He was focused intently on Leila. He reached out and took her hand. "Leila. Would you mind telling me exactly what you experienced?" She shrugged bashfully and tucked her hands under her legs._

"_I don't know. I mean how much do you want to know?" Her eyes darted over to Jasper and Edward. _

"_Tell me as much as you can remember. Start at the beginning," Carlisle encouraged her._

"_Okay. Um, well, I guess if I start at the beginning… I was running home because I had stayed too long at my friend Kara's house. I was a good runner so I knew I could make it home in time for dinner. My family always had a big dinner on Tuesday night and you _had_ to be there. So I didn't want my mom to get mad."_

_She took a deep breath before continuing. "So I was running and then all of the sudden I was grabbed from kind of like behind and beside at the same time." She used her hands to illustrate as she explained. _

"_I hadn't heard anyone approach or any leaves rustle or anything. And when I was grabbed, I was lifted up like a foot into the air. I screamed once and then I saw this little boy standing across the street staring in shock and I had this weird feeling. Like I needed to protect him. I didn't really struggle, I just yanked forward and the man let go of me for an instant. It was enough for me to run into the street. I screamed at the little boy to run. He didn't move so I screamed again, _'Run! Run little boy!_' And he snapped out of it and ran for his house. That's when the man grabbed me again and then pulled me way into the woods so fast." She paused and shuddered._

"_He growled at me and said something about _'now he was angry and I wasn't just food anymore. He was going to have fun and play some games first'.___I didn't know what that meant but I knew that it was something horrible. I had twisted around for a second and seen his face."_

_She looked at Carlisle with huge serious eyes. "He was evil Carlisle. He didn't look anything like you guys. He was just _evil_. His eyes were bright red and black, they actually like, pulsed. They would change from red to black as he spoke. And his face was white but somehow it looked dark, like his evilness changed his color. I was so creeped out."_

"_Then I saw this really tall man with blond hair standing a little ways away, watching. For a second I thought he was surprised and he would help me or call the police or something. But then I realized they must be together cause he stood there, just watching – almost like it was exciting. And his eyes were red and black too."_

"_I told the dark man 'if you kill me I'll find a way to kill you back'. He was really still for a second and then he laughed and it was more terrifying than anything else he had already done. He said, _'Oh? You will find a way to kill me back? You are cute. Maybe I should not play with you first, just because you are so cute.'___It was really patronizing, like someone treating a child like an idiot. His voice had a funny accent even though he spoke good English."_

"_All of the sudden he did this roar or growl or some kind of noise and I swear I almost fainted. He pushed my head to the side so fast I hardly registered it. And then he bit me in the neck! I coughed or choked once because I was so surprised. I was like, __**'**_what the hell is he doing?_**' **__And then almost as soon as he bit me he pulled back with a screech. I fell on the ground and I looked up at him. He was wild eyed, looking at me. I didn't know what his deal was. One second he was being all scary and the next, _he_ was the one looking all scared and confused."_

_Leila's eyes took on a pained expression as she remembered. "Then I couldn't focus on him at all because my neck started burning. I couldn't scream or hardly breathe it hurt so badly. There was so much blood pouring out of my neck and I was trying to stop it with my hands. I remember looking at him as he backed away from me. The blond one came closer to him and they spoke really fast – I couldn't understand. I felt like I was blacking out there was so much pain. But I looked at him one last time. I could barely speak but I promised him, _'I will kill you back._**'**_

_She stopped talking for a moment, eyes unfocused as she remembered the day of horror. I could see in her expression that what she was reliving had been harrowing. My heart squeezed, as I thought of her wounded and all alone, scared and confused. _Just a little kid_**,**__ I thought._

"_I didn't see them leave. It was more like I was aware when I was alone. My neck was bleeding everywhere and fire screamed through my body. I started crawling away from where he had left me. I remember feeling a tiny bit scared that he would come back and finish killing me."_

"_I got to my feet for a minute and was staggering towards a lighter area. I thought it was the road but I must have gotten confused and gone the opposite direction. I could barely see. I felt like I would go insane from the burning. One second I was stumbling along and all of the sudden I was falling. I didn't even scream. I just fell. I felt the hardness of what I had fell upon and knew I was hurt, but I couldn't feel distinctive pain because every thing was just fire!"_

_She blew out a shaky breath. "There was water where I fell. I couldn't stand so I rolled down the little bank and into the river. It was cold for a moment and then it was like the fire within me heated the water. I couldn't fight against it anymore. It was too strong. I just lay there and let the water sweep me away."_

"_I don't know how long I floated. I couldn't think of anything but the pain. Then there was a bend in the river where the water was rougher. I got pushed into the bank and I crawled up to lie in the grass. My neck had stopped bleeding and it was all sticky and really hot around the wound when I touched it. I wished he had killed me. Whatever this was it must be worse than death. I got to a point that I didn't think I could bear it one more minute and right then the pain changed. It was so intense I started screaming uncontrollably." _

"_It felt like something was surging through my veins coming to fight the fire. It made the heat flare and then tamper over and over. It was confusing. There would be a measure of relief for a moment and then the pain would return two fold."_

_Leila shook her head in confusion and agony caught up in the memory. I wanted to go to her and comfort her, but somehow I knew that my motherly instincts would not be appreciated at this moment._

"_It was so much worse than the original pain, this surge and relief over and over. The more intense the burning became the harder this strange force would come against it. I felt like I would literally be burned to nothing it was so excruciating."_

_Her voice lowered. "I didn't see anyone where I was. I kept screaming like an animal but no one came so I knew I was alone. I remember thinking that it was so weird that in the midst of such pain and fire I could even register anything else or feel lonely or focus on something other than the burning. But I could and I did. I was so scared." This was said in a whisper that was so sad and childlike I felt my eyes prick. _

"_I think I stayed in the same area for three or four days. At one point I couldn't stand it and I started just like, flailing around and I then bashed myself into a huge boulder over and over. I was trying to feel something other than the internal fire. It didn't help so I lay back on the ground. I could feel myself get stronger every minute."_

_She sighed again. "On like the sixth day it seemed like I wasn't so hot. I breathed easier and it felt like whatever was opposing the burning was winning. I lay there for two more days feeling a little more normal each day. I assumed that he must have poisoned me with something but my immune system was beating it."_

"_On the evening of day eight I fell asleep. I remember getting tired and knowing that I wanted and needed to sleep and feeling almost happy. Sleep is relief and I thought that surely I must be recovering if I felt like sleeping. My sleep though wasn't normal. It was like I was still aware of everything around me even in rest. But I was relaxed and the burn faded into kind of a dull ache. Like after you burn yourself pretty bad and it's been treated."_

"_It was almost dawn when all of the sudden fire ten times worse than anything before it raced through my veins again. It was so shocking it literally lifted me bodily off the ground. I couldn't even scream. It locked my muscles and closed my throat. I felt as if I was suffocating and I knew that I was going to die. It was like being thrown into a furnace full blast. I was barely cognizant enough to discern night or day. I thought that maybe this time if I could get to the water, it might help. I was just desperate for anything at that point."_

"_Somehow I managed to pull myself into the river. I don't know how long it took me to get to it. I lay there for at least two days and nights."_

_She breathed in and out deeply several times, a little dent between her patrician brows. I looked at Edward and saw his face was transfixed, eyes wide in horror. Apparently, seeing what she was describing was a lot worse than hearing it second hand._

"_Then it started fading. Slowly it was like I was an overdone baked good or something. I just started cooling. The first thing I registered was the water. It felt kind of good. It was like the same temperature as my skin. My arms and legs cooled first and I felt the heat center in my chest. My heart beat really fast for a moment, hotter than it had been and then it just went thud. And it was really quiet." _

_She looked unseeing at Carlisle. "It was weird. I could see everything. Every bug, every leaf, hear every minute sound. I got out of the water and went to where I had lain before. The sun was out and I was really wet. It didn't bother me so much as it felt like I should dry out. The sun for once was shining and I sat there and dried most of the way."_

"_I wasn't tired. It was like the hell of the past days had never even happened. I felt strong and angry. I was so mad. I was going to hunt down the son of a bitch who had made me hurt like that. But I could hardly concentrate on that. I felt so thirsty. The heat had made me so dehydrated. I thought of the water but it made me feel queasy to think of drinking it. I couldn't figure out why. What was I going to drink?"_

"_I made my way back up the edge of the river and when I thought it was about the place I had fallen I jumped to reach a big rock in the river. I was going to use stones to make it across. But I didn't land on the rock. I flew across the river and slammed into the small cliff that I had fallen over before. I was stunned. I hadn't even tried to go all the way across. _

"_I saw my backpack on the rocks and realized that was where I had fallen. I got it and then just for the heck of it jumped up and reached the top of the cliff. It was really easy to pull myself up."_

_She smiled warily. "After that I didn't hurt anymore. So I guess that's it. The whole story."_

_I looked at Carlisle and then at the boys. No one moved; no one spoke. What was there to say? I couldn't imagine going through the change for eleven days. I remembered the pain from decades past and shuddered. _How had she endured it?_ Edward looked at me hearing my mental question. His eyes were dark and sad almost. But he didn't say anything. _

I'm going to ask you later_**,**__ I thought. He nodded in agreement. _

"_Are you sure it was ten days? Could you have gotten the time confused?" Carlisle's voice was urgent. Almost as if he hoped she _had_ gotten the time wrong. _

If she was right though, _I thought_, there must be something very different about her that would make her change so lengthy.

_I wondered if she had a gift like Alice or Edward or Jasper. Maybe if we knew what it was, it would explain what had caused the delay in the change. And what was it that had combated the burn? _

"_I'm positive. I thought at first that I hurt so bad I had mixed up time but when I first went hunting I looked at the newspapers that someone had just put in the box and it was February seventeenth. My birthday is February tenth. It was three days before my birthday when he you know…"_

_She looked around uncomfortably. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make everything so heavy. I'll go uh…" Her words trailed off as she rose from the sofa. _

"_No, no. You didn't make anything heavy," Carlisle hastily assured her. "I am merely fascinated beyond words at this. I've never heard of anything like it before."_

_Her face pinched in worry. "What do you mean? Is something wrong with me or something?"_

_He quickly shook his head. "Not from what I've been able to see. You have some anomalies as I have told you before that put you in a different bracket. Somewhere between us and Renesmee I would say."_

"_Somehow, a tiny part of your human self seems to be holding on – your heartbeat for example. It is still there, yet it only beats every thirty six seconds. And your memories – they are still clear and part of you fully."_

"_I can't say I understand it all, but I am fascinated more and more with every thing I have found out."_

_She seemed mollified by his words. "Oh, well I guess as long as I'm okay." She smiled uncertainly, "Maybe I'll ask you questions later if that's okay."_

_Carlisle nodded and his answering smile was paternal. "Of course. Anytime."_

_She padded down the hall on silent feet and entered her room. I was surprised when I didn't hear the door close. That was an encouraging sign. Maybe she was becoming more comfortable. _

_I smiled. _I was going to love having a young child,_ I thought happily._


	9. Chapter 9

Leila meets Nessie finally.

PLEASE REVIEW!

**LEILA POV**

Tuesday morning dawned sunny and warm. It was the first time I had seen the sun shine in over six weeks. I looked out my window watching birds and little creatures scurry about. Renesmee skipped around outside, the sharp gaze of Rosalie never leaving her. I loved watching Renesmee. She was this tiny little graceful being that seemed almost unreal. Sometimes she would play in the yard with one or more of the family members watching over her. She always looked up to my window and waved with the biggest smile. She was adorable and I wished fervently that I was trustworthy enough to be around her.

I sighed heavily, depressed at my continued self imprisonment. I had been making strides in participating in the family life, but there was a portion of my mind that kept telling me that the moment I wholeheartedly immersed myself in this new life I would be forced away. So consequently I ended up spending a lot of time in my room. Of course no one had said I needed to stay there, quite the opposite in fact, but other than playing games with Emmett, there was nothing much for me to do.

"What's wrong?" The question from Esme had me turning towards the door. I smiled vaguely at her as she entered my room. I had insisted that as it was her house, it wasn't necessary for her to knock on my door. If I needed to change I went to the closet anyway.

"Nothing," I said flopping onto my bed. "I'm just _really_ bored." I looked at her quickly, realizing immediately that my words could be construed more than one way. "I mean, you have been more than welcoming, it's just that I'm not used to having a completely empty schedule. Add on to that the seven to ten hours a day I no longer sleep through... well, it just gets really tedious thinking all the time."

Esme crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "You know that you don't have to stay in this room so much, Leila. No one expects you to. I can't do anything about the lack of sleep but if there is anything you would like to do, please let me know. I can get you... just about anything."

I appreciated her generosity, but I didn't feel comfortable taking anything of monetary value from them. I wore as many of my own clothes as I could, but sometimes I did add a few pieces from the wardrobe Alice had provided or else she seemed to get her feelings hurt. I wanted to wear all the hundreds of gorgeous outfits Alice had gotten for me. I wanted to interact like I really _was_ a full member of the family. I wanted to pretend like this would all last forever, but somehow I just _knew _that it would all go wrong as soon as I did.

Esme pulled me up from the mattress and directed me out the door with an arm around my shoulders. "Come on. I'm taking you outside. We think you should meet Renesmee properly." I stopped dead and turned to her with wide wary eyes. "Uh, Esme, I don't think I should. I mean what if I do something really bad! I don't know. I can just watch her from up here." She smiled maternally and laid a hand on my cheek. "Oh honey. You'll be fine. We're here to make sure everything goes fine and Alice sees nothing going wrong."

I bit my lip uncertainly. I did want to meet her, very much so. But at the same time I had been told of her beating heart and scent. I really did not want to even attempt to go after the beautiful little girl in a hunting manner. That would be so awful. I looked Esme directly in the eyes. They were warm, gold and full of faith. "You really think I won't hurt her?" I asked in a near whisper.

"I really think so. And even if I didn't think you would do okay I don't think she would care. Renesmee has basically commanded that we allow her to meet you in person."

I smiled at that. I had received beautifully drawn cards from her every single day filled with messages that succinctly conveyed her displeasure at being held back from seeing me and her impatience to finally get to know me. It kind of made me feel fuzzy to know such a glorious little creature was figuratively dying to meet me.

Esme once again guided me towards the door and this time I went obediently, enthused at the thought of actually meeting the baby and being out in the sunlight. We walked at a normal pace and descended the stairs in human time. It felt weird for me to move so slowly now. In my weeks of wandering I had just moved however quickly my body had taken me.

Carlisle was trying to impress upon me the importance of training myself to fit in with normal society. Apparently practicing 'normal' motion timing when you were in private was a good thing – unless you were hunting or had a need to move quickly. I could see the yard through the plate glass wall as we headed slowly for the back door. Jasper was standing like a sentry by a tree, Alice leaning against him with a smile and possessive hand on his arm. Bella was sitting cross legged on the lawn plucking blades of grass in such a casual human way that if it weren't for the sparkle of her pure white skin she could have been mistaken for an actual human.

Edward and Carlisle stood together in discussion their lips moving so incredibly fast it was impossible to make out what they said. Esme opened the door and had to use a little force to bring me through as I suddenly felt a fresh wave of trepidation at finally meeting Renesmee. I followed her somewhat unwillingly as I repeated over and over in my head. _"Hold your breath if you can't stand it. She's just a baby. Just hold your breath."_

Emmett grinned at me when we stepped outside. He had joined Rosalie where she sat on a wooden swing. It was one of those two seaters that had an iron frame. "Hey mighty mouse. How's it hanging'?" His greeting was cheerful and I didn't take offense to the nickname. I had gotten to know Emmett enough by now that I knew this was just his way of being friendly.

"Hey el-Phanto." I chuckled as his face screwed into a frown. "What does that mean?" His question was perplexed. Rosalie seemed to have caught the meaning because she smirked.

I smiled saucily. "Figure it out. Let me know when you do." As I walked slowly towards Renesmee I heard him turn towards Rosalie. "Babe? What does she mean by that?" I peeked over my shoulder. Rosalie had schooled her features into a mask of innocence. Her shoulders lifted as she looked at him wide-eyed, her face serious. "How would I know?" His eyes narrowed at her perfect face, suspicion written clearly on his face. "You laughed!" He accused.

My attention was drawn away from them as Renesmee let out a delighted giggle and skipped towards me. "Leila! You're here!" I had no warning before she turned her body into a little pink rocket and launched herself with shocking speed and velocity directly at me. I instinctively reached to catch her and inhaled in surprise. Instead of the searing pain of human scent that I had been expecting, she smelled like a very sweet vampire with just the tiniest hint of something appealing on the edge.

Two little scorching hot hands laid on my cheeks and I was assaulted with images flipping through my head in a confusing shuffle of memories I had and ones that I was certain I hadn't ever even thought much less seen. I was just beginning to form a question when a stern voice sliced through my single focus on her.

"Renesmee! You were not supposed to introduce yourself that way. We discussed this." Edward admonished his daughter as he crossed to us in a split second. "Remember, Leila doesn't know yet how you communicate." She grinned her little impish smile and removed her hands from my face. "Sorry." Her voice was mesmerizing in that one word. "I just got so happy that they let you come see me!" She bounced and quivered in my hold and reached out again with her hands a mere centimeter from my face. "Can I show you something?" Her eager little expression was impossible to refuse and I smiled and nodded in response.

Once again the twin infernos grasped me and this time I saw things in an order. The first thing she showed me was the family in a location I was not familiar with. They were all sitting around and Alice was talking about a blonde girl joining the family. I assumed that was me. In succession I saw through Renesmee's perspective the first time she saw me. Felt her boundless excitement as she remembered me singing to her. The memory of how thrilled she was when her parents relented and gave her my headband. Seeing me unconscious once when Emmett sneaked her in because, she told me telepathically _"she was dying to see what I looked like." And "did you know you _do _look exactly like Carlisle?" _

I saw an amusement tinged memory of myself leaping from the window the night I went on my aborted hunting trip, then of Jasper following a minute later and landing with something less than his usual grace.

Now that she brought it up, I did wonder about the immediate aftermath of my reversal of Jasper's gift that night. I would have to figure out the best person to ask the specific's without hurting his feelings.

Finally she showed me the moment when Carlisle and Edward had gotten Jasper to agree that I could meet her. She sighed in happiness at the feelings that specific memory gave her. In a move so unexpected and babyish, she leaned forward and kissed me. It was just like my little brother Saul had done when he was still so small. I lifted a hand to run a hand over her silky brown curls.

With a lightning fast movement she grasped my hand and turned my arm in the sunlight. "Wow! Look at your skin!" I looked down at my arm. It was shimmering gold. It literally looked as if someone had dusted my white skin with a very fine coating of pure gold dust. I looked at Renesmee's hand against mine. Her's merely glistened with a translucent shimmering beauty. The rest of the family looked as if they had been rolled in crushed diamonds. I looked again at my arm. "Wow is right!" I agreed. "But I think I'm lucky that my skin is kind of like yours, because you are the prettiest girl I have ever seen!"

She giggled with pleasure at my praise. "I like you Leila. You want to play with me?" She removed her hands from my cheeks, twisting sideways as she pointed out an elaborate little house which I assumed was a playhouse, yet it looked like it could have comfortably accommodated two full grown people. _Good lord!_

Edward chuckled wryly. "When she asked for a little play house Emmett and Jasper went a little overboard with a good dose of encouragement from Esme."

She leapt gracefully down and pulled me imperiously towards her fantasy house. " I have so many things in here. You can help me do the rooms again and you'll help me dress all my babies right?" She looked expectantly at me, little brows arched in a demand that I say yes.

I nodded obediently. "Of course. I would love to help you dress your babies." "Well, there's Emily, she's a really nice doll with twisty yarn hair. She's not the pretty one, but Mommy said not everyone is perfectly beautiful so I should love her anyway. I try to be nice to her but sometimes I forget because she's not as pretty as Kayla or Samantha. So I thought maybe you could take care of Emily for a little bit. Please?"

From what I had been told about Renesmee I had been expecting an adult in a little toddler body. This unexpectedly normal side of her was refreshing. I was happy that she liked to do normal little girl things. I liked little children and I had always been really good at interacting and playing with them. As if reading my mind she grinned up at me again.

"I'm happy you're here to play with me. It's all old people usually, 'cept Seth sometimes. But you're so much better." She opened the ornate door and stepped over the threshold. "Come on. I'll take you to meet all my babies."

_Who was Seth?_


	10. Chapter 10

_**ESME POV**_

_It was like the weight of the world had been lifted from Leila. Ever since she had spent the afternoon playing with Nessie, it was as if a dam had burst freeing her to be her normal self. She was happy and social, affectionate and loving. The complete change of attitude was so startling it almost made me wonder if it was an act to some degree. Edward had assured me that there was no artifice in her behavior. This apparently was the normal unguarded Leila. She was amazing._

_ I noticed that wherever she was, Jasper was usually nearby. He said that all of the fear that had shrouded her before was gone and she was just happy. Not the upbeat happy go lucky attitude like Emmett, but a genuine contented happiness. Jasper told Alice that he had never felt that much warmth and peace from a vampire before and it was irresistible to him._

_ She still spent some time in her room, but it was nothing like before. Now it was just to read and listen to music or draw. I had wanted to ask her what she was drawing the day she asked for a sketch pad and pencils but Alice had advised me to wait; she would show me in her own time._

_ She had the funniest little night time routine she had begun after staying with us all day. Around ten thirty or eleven she would say good night and go up to her room. That in its self was not what was amusing. What was however, was what she did when she went there. _

_ The first time she had done this was the evening after playing with Renesmee. We were all sitting around doing what ever it was we usually did, when Edward had started laughing quietly. Seven pairs of eyes had looked at him querulously. Shaking his head he explained. "She is going through the nightly rituals of a human. Brushing her teeth, putting on pajamas, turning down her bed." He paused as he listened in on her thoughts. "Now she is setting her music on low, turning off her light and getting in bed." _

_ She had stayed there in her bed for six solid hours. Edward and Bella had stayed the night up at the house with us since everyone had wanted to see what would happen. Via Edward, we had updates to what was going on in her mind. For the first hour she laid in her bed and attempted to clear her mind and relax enough to sleep. At twelve twenty she flipped onto her stomach and screamed into her pillow before turning onto her left side and attempting to relax again. This went on all night with her mentally struggling to hold onto her temper. At five thirty she got up and showered before coming downstairs._

_ Her damp hair was pulled up into a ponytail and she was dressed in jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt. Apparently her fashion choice was not suitable because Alice screeched and vaulted from her place beside Jasper. "No, no, no. Absolutely not! I _saw_ you dress in the Forever 21 dress and black leggings, with the silver ballet flats. That was what you should have worn." She grabbed Leila's arm and turned her back towards the stairs. "How did you dress in this without me seeing it?" _

_ There was a mischievous smile on my youngest daughters face as she followed Alice back upstairs. I could have sworn that her shoulders shook slightly as she turned the corner with Alice. _

_**LEILA POV**_

I had decided that since I was here and accepted into the family, I might as well be happy and have fun. It was just ridiculous to sit in my room and sulk because I was afraid that something bad was going to happen. If something bad was going to happen, then it was going to happen. I would rather have the time spent with the Cullen's than holed up in a room because I was too full of fear to live how I wanted for the time allowed. And who knew anyway, what if nothing bad happened in the end.

I had been spending a lot of time when I was present with the family analyzing each ones talent.

I had realized after waking up after my initial blackout that Jasper was somehow able to make me feel different than my actual feelings. I had tested him once as he stood by the door watching me. He was standing ramrod straight, so stiff and still it looked almost painful. I very deliberately relaxed first my body and then my mind. As I watched carefully I saw his shoulders drop a fraction of an inch. So I took it a bit further and directed my thoughts of peace and tranquility into a single feeling directed squarely at him. He sighed almost silently and his stance perceptibly loosened. The tight painful look vanished from his face and he had looked peaceful and approachable.

I realized that I could turn around what ever it was that he could do on him. After my aborted hunting trip where I had felled him before leaping from the window I realized that the strength of my personal feelings must affect how strongly I was able to influence him.

The day I spent with Renesmee in her play house had been so nice. She was funny, intelligent, sweet and loving. Yet for all her grown up capabilities there was still something so sweetly baby like. Now that we knew she did not present any temptation to me I was allowed to interact with her freely. The things that tended to trigger my temper had nothing to do with her. In fact when ever I was with her I felt extreme pleasure and happiness.

Later that night I had felt so peaceful and content I felt convinced I could actually fall asleep. I had purposefully left my mind totally open to Edward so they wouldn't feel the need for someone to check on me or worse, watch me. I really hated that. When someone would just sit and stare at me. I mean I understood why, it just gave me the creeps. To my great frustration I was not able to sleep but I still laid there all night willing myself to try.

When I had dressed I deliberately decided to wear a dress outfit I knew Alice would approve of while simultaneously putting on my oldest clothes. When I had turned the corner to descend the stairs I had seen the approving smile dissipate off of her face as she shrieked and leaped from her seat. "No, no no!" It was everything I could do to keep from howling with laughter. When she grabbed my arm to herd me back upstairs I tried poaching her power. I had thought that touching her would give me a better chance. I concentrated as she led me into the cavernous closet in my room, trying to see what she would pick out for me. I had the briefest flash of some god-awful couture dress and killer shoes and I yanked my arm from her grasp. "Oh no. I am not wearing some hideous Kim Kardashian dress and platform heels."

Her jaw literally dropped. She was speechless. Her mouth moved as if to say something but she couldn't form a sentence. I smiled, _I was right! _Finally she pursed her lips and glared at me. "How did you...?" Her words trailed off and she just stared incredulously. I crossed my arms over my chest. "So you _were_ going to put me in some ridiculous dress weren't you?"

"No. I just decided I should to teach you a lesson." She turned to the vast array of clothes she had purchased. "I want to know how you knew that." She said in a low voice that held just a thread of menace. I grinned evilly. This was going great. Now I just had to test Edward. "I just sensed that you were going to." I played it off a little. She whirled with a pair of skinny jeans in her hands. "Oh no. You're not getting off that easy. You were specific. You said '_Kim Kardashian dress and platform heels_.' I was visualizing Kim Kardashian in the dress when you said it!" She gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes. "_How_ did you know that?"

I just smiled smugly and decided I was going to do one more test. Reaching out I touched her hand and concentrated on seeing something in her future. It came in tiny bursts but I saw five little things. Alice in a really good mood, bouncing and quivering with excitement through the whole house. Little smiles directed towards Jasper which the lunk-head seemed to completely miss. A calender that had May 7th circled and then a flash of Esme and Alice outside and the words _anniversary tomorrow_. And then Alice sitting on her bed with such a stricken look as she stared at something in her hands and looked as if she was about to cry.

Oh no! Her anniversary was going to be awful! And she was looking forward to it so much. Somehow I knew all the blame could be laid directly at Jasper's feet. Alice was looking at me curiously. I couldn't let her know that I would help Jasper so he didn't end up screwed. I kinda liked Jasper. He was like an older brother in a way. True he was broody and scary sometimes, but I felt a sense of affection and protectiveness from him.

"Leila!" Alice demanded my attention again. I sighed in mock surrender. "Okay. I have always been able to sense peoples wishes since I was little. Now I hear them or see what they wish for. I guess since you wished to teach me a lesson I could kind of see what it was." She considered that for a split second but didn't seem quite convinced. I smiled my most winning smile. "Honestly. No big deal. I mean a lot of you guys have abilities which are way cooler than just being able to hear a wish."

She got a spacey look for a minute and then smiled in a way which could only be called victorious. "Okay," was her chipper reply. "I'll go with that for now, but I'm watching you little sister. Your days of sneakiness are number. Enjoy them while you can." She returned to her task of picking what she deemed appropriate attire for me. "Oh and from now on, you dress according to what I pick out for you." I rolled my eyes. "Alice, unlike Bella I enjoy fashion and clothes. Probably not as much as you; I doubt there is another person on earth that enjoys clothes as much as you; but I like them. I just don't want to take a bunch of stuff from you." She gave me an ironic glance over a shoulder. "Please! This is nothing. Within three months I'll refill this closet twice."

I snatched the shirt from her hands. "And that Alice, is where we differ. I _like_ having the same clothes and adding new pieces to my wardrobe as I go. But I like the feeling of my favorite jeans or my favorite dress. So, let's compromise. I'll wear awesome clothes to make us both happy. But you don't get rid of anything unless I agree." She grinned and stuck out her empty hand. "Deal." I considered the offered hand, then took it. "_And_, I get to shop with you." Her shriek of delight was piercing, but I laughed with her as she flung her arms around me and squeezed. "_Yes!_ We' are going to have so much fun!"

I smiled as I thought, _I'm definitely helping Jasper make his anniversary great._

Now it was just Edward I had to figure out.

Hopefully this isn't too scattered to understand... Sorry, it was just a tangent my mind went off on and I couldn't focus on anything else until I had written it.


	11. Chapter 11

I've decided to start posting shorter chapters more frequently as it fits my current schedule better. Hope you enjoy! Thanks for the reviews! :)

_**LEILA POV**_

"Jasper you have to do this for Alice." I was trying to convince him that my anniversary plan was perfect. Getting him away from Alice to conspire had been easy enough. They had just gone hunting the day before so I knew Alice would not want to go again. They were together in their room and I was sitting on the back porch in the sunshine. I just started thinking about my thirst. It was always there. The severity of it fluctuated, but if I thought about it at all it was instantly unbearable. I heard a window open and I smiled as Jasper landed on the lawn a dozen yards from me.

"I believe you called," was his ironic greeting.

"I'm starving." I told him simply. With a gentlemanly flourish he indicated that I should proceed him into the woods. Since all I could really think about now was being thirsty, I decided I should hunt before I got down to what I had really wanted him for. It had been quick but almost satisfying. Now I was sitting on a boulder in the clearing that I had decided was the perfect spot for his anniversary.

He paced in front of me, hands behind his steel spine as he thought about what I had just said with a frown on his face. "Leila, I would feel totally stupid." He looked so pained I almost laughed. "How do you even know that Alice would like it. I mean, she would probably laugh her head off at me." I rolled my eyes and flipped of the rock. "Do you really think that Alice would ever laugh at you? Believe me when I say that if you will do this it will end very well for you." I saw the moment he gave in. "Okay. What should I do?"

I had been paying attention to Alice for the past week and so I had picked up a lot of what she wished for her anniversary. Surprisingly her biggest wish was just that it would matter as much to Jasper as it did to her. Secondly, she wanted him to sing to her. That had perplexed me somewhat, because as far as I knew Jasper did not have any musical inclinations. I tried poaching her powers from afar but it was so much harder and I could barely see anything. I had to be very careful, but I managed contact with her enough times that I saw what would be a winner and what would fail. So now all I had to do was get Jasper to do everything right.

"Okay, when the sun is coming up, before she says anything, you have to tell her Happy Anniversary first. That will absolutely thrill her that you find it important. That's what she really wants; you to find it important. Just out of curiosity, why don't you think your wedding anniversary is a big deal?" He shifted uncomfortably and looked to the side and then up to the sky. "Oh come on Jasper! You love her more than I've ever seen someone love another person, so why does this not matter?"

He sighed in resignation. "It's not that I don't care. I just don't see what the big deal is. It's a human celebration because the number of years they have together is so limited, they have to celebrate the few they have together. We're not limited in our time together and every day is equally special." The inadvertent romanticism in his thinking made me smile. "To me, I don't see how May 7th is greater than February 9th or September 13th. Every day with Alice is the greatest celebration of life to me."

I sighed at how sweet he was. "See, that's all that matters. She's the most important thing to you, so your anniversary doesn't have to matter that much to you, it just matters that it's important to her."

I quickly mapped out the whole scenario for him. "In the early afternoon, tell her you want to go out with her. She'll see that you want to take her out but she won't be able to see where. She will see what she should wear. It's not fair to take away her ability to dress appropriately; it will ruin everything if she is obsessing about her clothes." I told him step by step everything to do to ensure her utter happiness. "Trust me Jasper if she could she would be in tears at the end. In a good way." I tacked on quickly when he looked at me askance.

"We should get home soon." I dusted off my butt and turned in the direction of the house. "I'll set up everything ahead of time and be here to turn it on right before you bring her." We ran at a relaxed pace and just before jumping the river he smiled slightly. "Thank you Leila. I always get her a present and she likes it, but I always feel like she's still waiting for something else. If this works I'll owe you."

"Oh, you'll owe me big. Don't think about it. It will make me almost as happy as it will make her."

Alice was sitting on the back steps with a suspicious look. I smiled innocently at her as I silently passed into the house. She rose to hug Jasper and I heard her ask him, "What did you do besides hunt? And why did I only see her hunt very quickly before my vision was literally blanked out?" Her voice was both seductive and petulant. I glanced at Jasper with a warning in my eyes for him not to give into her.

_**ESME POV**_

_ Leila was up to something. Something big. She wouldn't say a word or even let on that she was doing anything. But I had been a mama long enough to know that she was definitely up to something. Jasper was in cahoots with her. They spent too much time together when Alice was not around talking in very quiet tones. She would show him papers and once I had seen her give him her iPod to listen to. What the heck was going on? My curiosity was eating me. I had to find out what she was up to._

_ Today Alice had taken Bella & Renesmee to Seattle because Nessie had decided she had to go get something important. Alice didn't need an excuse to shop so she was thrilled. Bella went begrudgingly but it was just because she couldn't resist her daughter's adorable pleading._

_ Rosalie was in the garage fixing something on Emmett's jeep while he just sat next to her holding it up and talking incessantly. Jasper was... I wasn't sure actually. He wasn't at home but he hadn't said where he was headed either. He just slipped out the door moments after Alice drove away._

_ Edward must have been down at his cottage because I hadn't seen him yet. And Carlisle was of course at work. Now I had a clear coast. I walked quietly upstairs and approached Leila's room slowly. I didn't want to be one of those rude pushy mothers that always had to know everything, but at the same time I was too curious to resist. Before I could even give a courtesy knock, the door was yanked open by a grinning Leila. "Perfect! Everyone's gone now. I've been dying to tell you but I had to wait til they were all gone." _

_ She yanked me into her room over to the small side table she had cleared to use as a temporary desk. Scattered over it were a handful of colored pencil drawings and I looked in awe at the intricate detailing to them. They were absolutely beautiful. _

_ "We only have three days to get this all together and set up. I'm gonna make Emmett help, but I need you to help me draw out how to structure the frame and then I'll make it. What do you think?" She looked at me eagerly._

_ "It's beautiful, but what is it for?" Her laugh was light and happy. "It's for Jasper and Alice's anniversary. I decided to help him make it awesome. He'll do it, but not without some prodding from me. Anyway, I'm keeping Alice from seeing anything so the only thing I need you to do is decide _not_ to help me every time you think of what we're doing." She shuffled some of the papers and pulled out one from the bottom of the stack. "Ah-hah. This is what the finished product will look like if I can somehow get it together." It was a small meadow-like clearing and it had been decorated to resemble a fairy's home._

_ "Oh my goodness Leila. How did you think this up?" She just smiled mysteriously and shrugged. "It came to me. So do you think with you directing design and me and Emmett working we can get it done?" _

_ "Of course. But just out of curiosity, what is it exactly that you will have to prod Jasper into doing?"_

_ "Oh you'll see. All in good time."_

Well this should prove to be very interesting._ It had been awhile since I had a new challenge that I hadn't personally dreamed up. Leila went to her closet and I heard her moving around and the scrape of hangers against the pole. "Oh mom; don't say anything to Emmett yet. We'll just have to give him directions to blindly build and move things or else he'll spoil the surprise. 'Kay?" _

_ I couldn't respond. I was standing there in stupefaction. _Had she really just called me mom?_ I put my hands to my face as I smiled, the feelings washing over me so indescribably warm and amazing._

_ "Esme?" She looked out of the closet door as she pulled a new shirt over her perfect torso. "Oh I thought you left because you didn't answer." I mutely shook my head, the silly smile still in place."So are you cool with doing this?" _

_ I nodded. "Oh, uh, yes, yes of course. It would be great." I hurriedly assured her. She tied her hair back quickly as she crossed back across the room. "Do you think there's a bigger place we could use though? This table is ridiculously tiny." _

_ "Sure. We can use my office. I have an architect's drawing board in there." The papers were swept into a neat stack at my words and she inclined her head. "After you then."_

_ We walked _humanly,_ as she always referred to slow movements, down the hallway. As we turned into my office door she stopped and looked at me. "Oh god I'm so stupid." I looked back at her alarmed. There was utter self loathing in her voice. "Why on earth would you say that?" I asked her._

_ "The reason you didn't answer before. I upset you right? I didn't mean to call you mom. It just kind of came out. I'm sorry." She was distressed and I shook my head in denial. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I looked directly into her eyes._

_ "You listen to me Leila. You most certainly did not upset me. You merely _surprised_ me. It took all the other ones years to think of me as their mother. And more time after that to refer to me as such. To this day I am mostly called Esme. Believe me when I tell you there is nothing on earth I would rather be called than mom. If you think of me as your mother, that is the greatest gift you could ever give to me." _

_ She smiled hesitantly. "Are you sure?" Her question sounded just like a little girl afraid of rejection and I touched her cheek. "I am more than positive." She gnawed on her lower lip for a second and then sighed. "After we do this for Alice and Jasper, I want to tell you stuff about my life before. 'Kay?" _

_ I nodded. "Okay."_


	12. Chapter 12

THE INSPIRATION FOR JASPER & ALICE'S ANNIVESARY CAME FROM A SONG I WAS LISTENING TO. IN ORDER TO FULLY APPRECIATE THE STORY LINE IT WOULD HELP TO LISTEN TO IT.

_**I ONLY GET THIS WAY WITH YOU**_ by _**RICK TREVINO**_. Use this link & replace the ; with . to view.

www;youtube;com/watch?v=NdpC9EFPB0c

I usually only use Leila and Esme's view point but I really had to tell a part of it from Jasper and Alice this time.

_Alice POV_

There was something going on and I was so irritated to not know what it was. I had figured out by now that Leila had a few tricks that we were not fully aware of. Somehow she was able to block me from seeing whatever it was that she was doing. And the worst part about it was that Jasper was firmly on her side. No matter how much I wheedled, pouted or tried to seduce it out of him, he was not giving me even the slightest hint of what it was.

Right now I could hear Leila humming in her room and the sporadic bursts of her sewing machine's engine. Apparently she loved sewing. When I had gotten back from taking Renesmee and Bella shopping in Seattle, Esme had taken her to buy a sewing machine and any notions she could possibly want. They had come home with bags and bags of fabric which had been immediately stowed in Leila's room. She wouldn't tell me what she was making.

I even asked nicely... No dice.

It was really getting to me.

_Leila POV_

I knew I was driving Alice crazy. She was seething with frustration and curiosity. I was presently hemming swathes of fabric to decorate the fairy tent for her anniversary. I stopped humming as I heard someone walk down the hall. I grinned as I recognized the footfalls which stopped directly next to my door. I had purposefully left it cracked to drive up her curiosity with the tiny glimpses she would be able to see.

I turned around as if to grab something from the ironing board and caught sight of a rapidly retreating golden eye. I knew it could be considered cruel to torment Alice so, but truthfully, the more anticipation built for her, the better the surprise. How often was Alice surprised by anything? She could see each and every gift any one ever got her. She saw the future for heaven's sake. So it was good for her to know how everyone else felt all the time. Plus, she was going to be overwhelmed at the end result.

She returned to her room and I heard her huff as she flopped onto her bed.

I smiled.

_Alice POV_

I was laying with Jasper, my head on his chest waiting for the sun to come up. It was already officially my anniversary, but I didn't count it until the sun was actually shining. I wondered absently what would end up happening today. I was sure Jasper had bought me something. He always did. It was usually perfunctorily wonderful, but still basically shrieked "_I don't really care about this specific date, but this should keep you happy._" I know he loves me to death, but it just escapes me how he doesn't see our anniversary as the greatest day of the year.

Through the window I could see a few pink streaks at the bottom of the skyline. I sighed as I watched the sky gradually lighten. I was lifting my head to sit up when Jasper tightened his arm around my shoulders.

"Happy Anniversary Alice." He said in a quiet voice.

I turned my head up to look at him speechless. He was smiling at me, obviously enjoying the fact that he had surprised me. How did I not see him tell me this? "What?" he asked innocently as I continued to stare at him.

I just smiled and shook my head. "Nothing, nothing, just... you too." I laid my head back down smiling as I hugged him as hard as I could. I felt him kiss the top of my head and knew he was as happy as I was.

We stayed that way for a couple of hours, just being together.

_Leila POV_

It was five thirty in the afternoon. In exactly one hour Jasper would be making Alice the happiest woman in the state of Washington. That is if I could get Emmett to stop clowning around and actually help me. "Emmett! I have forty five minutes. Would you _please_ help me?" I was so annoyed I could have cheerfully ripped his head off.

Esme was making sure every decoration besides the gazebo was perfect. I was working on roofing the gazebo with yards of chiffon and it would have been so much faster if Emmett would sober up and help me. I whipped a zip tie at his head. "Emmett!" My irritation was reaching no bounds. "Okay, okay. Jeez," he complained. "You're no fun today. What is all this stuff for anyway. It's really aggravating that you won't tell me anything."

"If I told you, Alice would instantly know what was going on. You can't keep a secret to save your life." He laughed at that. "Fine, fine. You're probably right. I mean if it's a secret from Alice that means this is somehow for her." He considered this as he silently helped me. Within minutes the entire gazebo was artfully swathed in three tones of chiffon.

"Okay. We just need to add vines and string lights and it will be done." Emmett crossed to where I had put the pile of twinkle lights. "I'll do lights and you can do flowers," he informed me as he started pulling them apart.

"Fine by me. And it's vines, not flowers." It took ten more minutes for everything to be set just perfectly. We stood at the edge of the transformed clearing looking over it. Emmett had his arms crossed over his chest in his classic pose. Esme was smiling and I was so excited to see it all put together. "Let me just check the sound system and I'll be ready to go." Emmett and I had hung speakers in the trees surrounding the clearing. They were powered by battery and connected to a MP3 player. It was an ingenious setup if I did say so myself. Everything was good, so I collected the few things leftover from us setting up and crossed back to Esme.

"We're good to go. Jasper and Alice will be here in about twenty five minutes." We ran full tilt back to the house and I by passed the back door in favor of leaping into my second story window. I stripped in the bathroom and jumped directly in the shower. Within five minutes I was washed, dressed and in the process of blow drying my hair.

I had seven minutes to spare when I was completely ready. I grabbed my camera and went downstairs. Esme was in the living room. She had obviously gotten changed while I had been in my room. Unlike me, she had not gotten filthy as we worked. I was learning to stay neat as I worked at vampire speed, I just hadn't mastered it yet.

"Oh, you look so pretty," she gushed when she saw me. I smiled at her, amused as always how enthusiastically loving she was.

"Did Jasper leave with Alice yet?" I asked as a response. She nodded. "Yes. He took her off in the car as planned."

Good. This should go perfectly. "Okay, I'm going back to wait so I can start the music and turn on the lights," I told Esme. She just smiled and nodded. As I went out the back door I saw Emmett and Rosalie sitting on their swing. He pulled Rosalie up when he spotted me. "We're ready." He announced, holding his wife's hand.

"Excuse me?"

He looked at me like I was a simpleton. "Hey, I helped you, now I get to see. And if I go, Rosalie goes with."

I could see plainly that I wasn't going to win this one with only twenty seconds of time. "Fine. But stay out of sight and when I leave, you leave. Got it?"

"Sure, whatever."

_Jasper POV_

I could feel a hundred emotions swirling around me. The strongest ones were from Alice but the others coming at me from a further distance told me that it wasn't just Leila in the trees. I blocked out the anticipation and giddy joy – Leila, maternal love and pride – Esme, curiosity and slight irritation – Rosalie, humor and satisfaction – Emmett, and if I wasn't mistaken, Edward & Bella seemed to be on their way with Renesmee.

Focusing in on Alice, I stared at her glorious face. Radiating from her in engulfing waves were equal parts love, joy, anticipation and sheer quivering frustration at my surprise not being revealed fast enough. I smiled at her in pleasure. It _was_ wonderful to celebrate our anniversary like this. Maybe my feelings weren't stronger for her today than every other day, but the joy this was bringing to her was worth all the the nerves and uncomfortableness.

And I _was _uncomfortable. I was going to do everything Leila had laid out for me to do. But that didn't mean singing for Alice, knowing the whole family was watching from the trees, wasn't just a little nerve wracking. It was a part of being in this family. There were no secrets. If I had told them to stay away it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Edward would see everything in Alice's mind and it would be discussed until Leila, Alice and Edward gave all the details.

"Where are we going Jazz?" Alice asked for the twentieth time in her singsong voice. She had my left hand enveloped in both of hers as she skipped along beside me, the ruffled hem of her lacy dress bouncing with each step. From my many years of being with Alice I knew a few things about clothes. She wasn't wearing a contemporary fashion outfit tonight. Instead she had a vintage looking, lacy white dress which reminded me a little of her wedding dress, albeit missing a few inches.

"I told you sixty five seconds ago that we would be there in two minutes." I had to admit I was feeling more excited the closer we came to the clearing. I could tell Alice was concentrating on trying to see the close future. A burst of irritation and resistance rippled from the northeast towards me and I chuckled silently. Leila apparently didn't like that Alice was trying to break the barrier.

We kept walking towards the site, it was only a few hundred yards more and I could smell the perfume of imported flowers. I had seen the sketches Leila had drawn and some of her preparations, but not the finished result. I hoped it was more than Alice hoped for. As the scents registered Alice gripped my hand harder and became even more anxious if that were even possible.

As I pushed the last of the foliage aside and she caught sight of the meadow I felt my breath catch along side hers. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was an absolute fairy land – literally. In the middle of the clearing was a gazebo which looked like it had been built from wooden lace with a silk roof. The yards of fabric spilled down the sides to be gathered and wrapped in ivy vines. There were twinkle lights in the trees with bulbs blackened out so it looked like fireflies instead of string lights.

And the most remarkable thing was that the flowers, mushrooms, rocks and grass were not the regular size I was expecting from the drawing. Rather they had been made on such a large scale it was as if we were in a fairy's home.

"Oh Jazz!" Alice breathed in reverent wonder. "Oh!" She clasped her hands together and squealed before flinging herself into my arms and strangling me with her hug. She relinquished her hold to turn back around and study the scene laid out for her benefit. As we walked forward, music started to flow from the trees surrounding us. Alice's eyes sparkled as she danced in circles, completely enraptured by what she was seeing.

The music changed to what I recognized as my cue. I took Alice by the hand and led her towards the gazebo. _This was it, no turning back_. I felt Leila's giddy joy and encouragement and squared my shoulders. I was glad now that Leila had insisted I rehearse earlier today.

I stepped under the fantastical canopied latticework and holding her hands turned Alice to face me as I sang to her. _God I felt stupid_.

_**"I only feel like I feel with you and nobody else"**_

Alice stared in shock. I could feel it screaming from her every pore. Sheer disbelief.

_** "And I only want to be with you and be myself"**_

She started melting as pleasure and love swept the shock to the side.

_**"But when I look into your eyes something happens to me every time**_

_** And I can't seem to find what to say or do."**_

__She smiled. It was the smile that comes from knowing the words were true and reciprocating them exactly.

_**"I only get this way with you**_

_** I only get this way with you **_

_** I only feel this way with you**_

_** And when we're together **_

_** I feel like I've never ever felt before**_

_** As if I'm walking through that door**_

_** To love a love like I never knew**_

_** I only get this way with you"**_

__Oh this was good. Alice was undone. She was drowning in a sea of happiness. Completely and utterly hypnotized by all of her anniversary dreams coming more than true.

_** "I want you to know how I feel when I'm holding you in my arms"**_

She stepped closer and I put my hands around her waist.

_**"And I want you to know how I miss you when we're apart"**_

She put her hands around my neck and squeezed impossible close, never breaking eye contact.

_** "But when I look in your eyes something happens to me every time**_

_** And I can't seem to find what to say or do."**_

What was I going to do next year to top this?

_**"When I think about all the times I've known**_

_** What I thought was love it was never this strong"**_

Her eyes held understanding of what those particular words meant for me.

_**"I only feel this way with you**_

_** And when we're together I feel like I never ever felt before**_

_** As if I'm walking through that door to love a love like I never knew**_

_** I only get this way with you I only feel this way with you."**_

Leila was right. If Alice had tears she would've already cried me a river. Her emotions were going crazy. She was stunned that I was actually doing this, pleased beyond words and was generally just a big ball of romantic emotional mush. Okay, I concede defeat. This was a _really_ good idea. If I had realized how much this would've affected Alice I would have done it a long time before.

Leila had the music seamlessly move into the music Alice and I had danced to at our wedding. We danced wordlessly, staring into each-other's eyes. Alice finally laid her head on my chest and sighed happily.

"Oh Jasper. This was... It was... just... perfect."


	13. Chapter 13

**I would like to apologize to all those who follow this story. I know I said I would update quickly, but a crazy 5 weeks of traveling without internet has made posting difficult. Thankfully I have stopped the incessant traveling and now look forward to using my 4 week Florida vacation as a time to make a lot of progress. As always thank you for choosing Cold Dusk and I look forward to having you with me next chapter. (I've been flying too much! :)**

_**ESME POV**_

_ I was so proud of Leila. The way she had arranged everything for Jasper to make his anniversary perfect showed me how much she was becoming part of the family. I had seen that she and Jasper were developing a bond before she had come to me for help with her idea, I just hadn't realized how much she was attached to him until we had worked together. _

_ Although she wanted it to be nice for Alice's sake, it was more for Jasper's benefit. She wanted to help him so he would be in the good grace's of his wife. And she was very happy when he praised her work. She looked for his approval like a little child and I had realized then that I had become somewhat jaded with my children. Over the decades they had acquired more knowledge and life experience than any others I had ever known and therefore no longer held the same traits as most young people. _

_ Leila was still so young, forever frozen on the eve of her sixteenth birthday. Not only was she having to learn to master herself in all the new aspects that immortal life brought, but she would still have to go through her "teen" years. Add to this her anomalies as a vampire and the crystal clear memory of being human and she was unlike anything we had seen yet. That said a lot didn't it? I mean, look back over the past few years with us. All that and there was still something new in this life for us to see. _

_ I mulled over the coming months as I lay in companionable silence with my husband. Carlisle had returned home from the hospital in the early morning hours, having been kept very late with a severe surgical emergency. I had relived the events of the previous evening for him. He had been very pleased over Jasper's gesture towards Alice, as he had been aware for many years how she suffered over his perceived indifference._

_ "Carlisle? Do you think it will be very difficult for Leila to move on from her human family?"_

_ There was a silence as he considered my question. That was one thing about him I continually appreciated. He always thought before he spoke. _

_ "I have thought about that since she revealed her memories are cinematographic." He paused for a moment. "I think that the reason human memories are hazy for us is to make the change bearable. If we were to live with the fresh memories, emotions and family ties, it would be too hard to resist going back to try and hold on to them. Ultimately it would lead to our loved one's demise. And if that were to come to pass, the guilt, rage and pain would be unbearable. So maybe it is a small measure of mercy."_

_ "I would say for Leila it is going to be quite hard. The level will be measured by how close she was with her family. She has revealed almost nothing about her life as a human." He was quiet for a while as we both absorbed ourselves in thought. There were sounds around the house as the family began emerging from their individual rooms and move about. We continued to lay together. Out of everyone, Carlisle and I were together the least. As parents that was pretty normal I concluded, but it also gave me license to stay with him even if the rest were up and about, doing what ever it was they were doing. _

_ I could sense the moment when Carlisle decided it was time to rise. It was the merest tensing of muscles but the years of togetherness had trained me in every nuance. He spoke. "Perhaps it would be good for us to find out some things about Leila's life; subtly of course; to help know how to handle the situations that are bound to arise."_

_ I sat up and looked at him. I took my moment to just appreciate the visual feast. He was my twenty three year old Adonis, with the wisdom of God and I would never be jaded at his perfection. I smiled as I always did at the thought that _This is mine!_ Pulling myself from my silent gloating I addressed his last words._

_ "She did tell me when we were preparing things for Jasper and Alice, that she would like to tell me of her life before. Maybe I can orchestrate a 'perfect time' for us to talk. Since she broached the subject first it will make things easier."_

_ "That would be excellent. You are, as always, the most amazing woman on this earth." I glowed inside at his words. Honestly, his praise never ceased to affect me as intensely each time. _

_ When we made our way downstairs, we found Emmett and Leila in the living room watching TV. It was not, however, a harmonious atmosphere. Although they sat on the same couch, there was severe tension between the two of them. I looked at them with what Edward called my "what's going on?-Mom look". I knew they both saw it. They just chose to ignore it. _

_ As Carlisle had been working late shifts, doubles and overtime it was becoming imperative for him to hunt immediately. With Leila being a newborn, we knew she would most likely want to come. I felt guilty, but a selfish part of me wished badly that she would not need to hunt as I wanted to be alone with Carlisle. Of course I wouldn't resent her, I would just be a bit disappointed. Carlisle wanted to be the one to invite her since he saw her the least. _

_ We had left Idaho, where we had settled in a new home, to come back here. After testing the distance with running, Carlisle had decided to continue working at the hospital there as he had been on staff mere months. So his shifts were now increased by the hour round trip each day to Idaho and the extra fifteen minutes when he stopped at the house there to change and drive his car into work._

_ With his most charming smile, Carlisle approached Leila. "Good morning Leila." His voice was irresistible, warm and hypnotizing. She looked up and smiled a big sunny smile at him. "Hello." The sun chose that very moment to stream in the glass wall and bath her perfectly. She was a golden angel as she sat there and I was struck hard at the almost perfect resemblance she held to my husband. _Weird.

_ "We are going to hunt and I wondered if you were thirsty. If you wish to accompany us, we would be most delighted." There was the briefest menacing glance towards Emmett and then her lilac eyes turned to me. There was an unsettling flash of prudence in them and then she smiled again at Carlisle. _

_ "Thank you very much for thinking about me but I'm not going anywhere." She turned on Emmett. "Don't think I didn't feel your little moment of triumph when he asked me to go. Uh uh. I'm staying and I am watching my skating." Emmett rolled his eyes but grinned at me. _

_ I felt a moment of joy at going alone with Carlisle before turning my attention to her. "Are you sure you don't need to feed?" _

_ "Nah. I ate yesterday morning and I've been waiting for the World Championships and there is no way in hell I'm missing them." She reached over Emmett and snatched the remote from the arm of the sofa. "I'll see you later though. I'll be here for hours." The last was said with a playfully venomous smirk towards Emmett. _

_ "Okay well if you're sure." I took possession of Carlisle's hand as I led him out the back door. This was going to be a good day. _

_ Our hunting trip had been successful in more ways than one. I was very content and relaxed now as I puttered around the house in the late afternoon light. Carlisle was finishing a bit of paperwork in his office as I did some laundry. _

_ As I passed through the living room, I saw that Leila was still on the couch rapturously watching figure skating. And she was not alone. Renesmee sat with her wearing an identical look of absorption. I paused and focused on the screen. The girl featured was petite with a lean, well muscled body. Her movements were strangely beautiful although I could see every minute mistake and the barely perceptible imbalance. The music was lovely and I could suddenly understand the appeal this held for Leila. _

_ At the end of her skating, there was applause for the girl and then scoring. When the program went to commercial, I considered Leila. "Do you skate?" _

_ She smiled wistfully. "I did. I competed from when I was twelve, but the coach always said it wasn't really worth me trying to go professional because I was tall and just not quite good enough." She scowled and wrinkled her nose at me. _

_ "He was stupid though. I love skating. And I was pretty good. I keep wondering how good I would be now. I've been dying to skate again." This gave the idea that had been germinating in my mind sudden life. Perfect._

_ I dropped off the basket of laundry I carried in Rosalie's room and went into Carlisle's office. I sat on the edge of his desk and smiled winningly at him. He set his pen aside and pulled me into his lap. I looped my arms around his neck and he kissed me lightly. _

_ "What can I do for you, my beautiful, definitely-up-to-something wife?" I laughed delighted at his apt description of me._

_ "How would you feel about a family vacation to introduce Leila to the Denali clan?"_


	14. Chapter 14

**SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN POSTING A NEW CHAPTER. I WAS AWAY FOR A WEEK. I GOT TO GO TO THE BONNAROO MUSIC FESTIVAL FOR MY BIRTHDAY! YAY! IT WAS AWESOME. AS ALWAYS I HOPE YOU LOVE AND LEAVE A FEEDBACK. THANKS TO THOSE WHO DO. IT MAKES ME HAPPY TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! **

_**Leila **__**POV**_

My first indication that I was not alone anymore was a feeling of gratitude and peace. _Jasper._ He and Alice had finally returned not even an hour ago. They had stayed gone for two nights so things must have worked out pretty good. I smiled and closed my notebook as I rolled over to look at him.

"Hey. How was your weekend?"

He smiled at me. It was the first time I had seen such a genuine happy smile from him. "It was excellent." He stepped over the threshold, his hands in their customary place behind his back. "I just wanted to appreciate every thing you did for me. Alice, I'm sure, will have a few things to say, but I wanted you to know how much it meant to me, to us. It was far greater than I had anticipated."

I could tell it made him just a touch uncomfortable to say those things, but he meant them absolutely. "No problem. I loved doing it." I scooted to the edge of my bed to swing my feet happily. "Did she like my present?" I had been dying to know her reaction to the gift I had made for them.

I had found pictures of their wedding but never a portrait. So I had asked Edward about their wedding and surreptitiously touched him and had seen flashes of his memories of that day. From those and the photos, I had done a candid portrait of them, with Alice laughing and Jasper smiling at her with complete adoration.

"The present? As in the meadow?" he hedged cautiously. I vaulted off the bed towards the door at the same moment that Alice appeared, a large gilt picture frame in her hands.

"Leila you crazy, naughty, wonderful girl. I love it, I love it, I LOVE it!" She squealed.

_Okay. That certainly answered my question._ Holding the painting in one hand, she flung the other arm around me in a crushing hug.

"If I did not love everything you've done so much, I would be furious that you can hide anything from me. But it was beautiful." She turned the frame in her hands to display to Jasper. "Look what she did for us. It was in our room wrapped up all pretty." Jasper surveyed the portrait. Surprise, recognition, pleasure and thanks were in his eyes as he looked at the exact likeness of him and his true love on the best day of their lives.

"It is amazing," he said quietly. "I remember the very moment you laughed like that. I couldn't believe that you had found me, wanted me, chose me, kept me. I thought the emotions would kill me it was so overwhelming. It was the best day of my life."

Alice looked like she was going to cry. "See Jazz," she said softly. "It was the same for me. The best day of my life when I knew you were mine and I was yours for eternity. That's why it's so important." The just looked in each-others eyes silently, but I knew there was a whole conversation communicated.

As deeply as they were absorbed, they just as quickly turned their attention back to me. Alice got a spacey look for a moment, as if she was staring through me, then smiled. "Carlisle and Esme want to speak to you in a minute."

I suddenly had the nervous jitters. I groaned. "What did I do?"

Alice giggled. "Nothing, silly. They just want to tell you something." She tugged Jasper out the door with one hand, the other still hefting the large gold-framed painting. I was pretty sure it was actual gold as Esme had given it to me to use.

I flew into my closet and changed from my sweatpants into a nice skirt. I layered a lacy top over my camisole and unbound my hair to swing loose down my back. I left my feet bare as usual as I went out into the hall. Sure enough Esme was on her way towards me.

"Good morning, dear." She reached out to touch my face and then put her arm around me as she continued towards Carlisle's office with me. I had started to notice that Esme was a very affectionate person. I guessed that she had been giving me time to know her, but more and more often she touched me, hugged me and generally drowned me in a sea of motherly love and attention.

It was completely foreign to me. Mostly it made me want to pull away and flee, but another part of me reveled in it and craved it more and more. My own mother had avoided contact with me at all cost. I had learned to pretend I didn't notice and seek out my dad for everything I needed. It was the opposite here. Not that Carlisle shunned me, he was just at work so often I didn't have much contact with him.

We were at Carlisle's door and he looked up and smiled at us. "Ah! My two favorite girls." He leaned forward and winked conspiratorially. "Just don't tell Alice, Rosalie or Renesmee." I couldn't help but grin back. I didn't often see the mischievous side to him.

I shook my head in agreement. "The won't hear it from me."

"I already heard it!" floated down the hall from Alice. Carlisle chuckled. Esme was smiling contentedly as if she was just happy, her arm still around my shoulders. I wanted to shrug it off but I would never reject her like that. Carlisle motioned us to the leather sofa on the opposite wall from him. As we sat Esme released her hold but took possession of my hand.

She turned herself slightly to face me and I could see excitement and anticipation in her eyes. _Oh, I hope she is okay with this. _Esme's voice sang through my mind in a wistful tune.

"Leila honey. We were thinking of taking a family vacation and we wondered if you would be okay with that." She paused, searching my face for any sign of reaction. My mind suddenly raced.

_Vacation? Like the beach or Disney or... _

_What do vampires __**do **__for vacation? _

I loved going places. It didn't matter where, anywhere was fine. Did they think I would rather sit here than go on vacation?

"Of course I'm okay with that." I was thrilled! We were going somewhere! Apparently they could see the excitement because Carlisle crossed over and laid a hand on Esme's shoulder with a pleased smile.

"Where do you go for vacation?" I asked curiously.

"We have some friends in Alaska. They live as we do and we consider them family. We would like to introduce you to them and it is a nice environment for us to enjoy ourselves in. Also I believe Esme has something special planned for you there." Carlisle responded.

"Well, you said you loved to skate," she said rising from her seat and crossing to pick up a package from the end of Carlisle's bookcase, "so I thought this would be an excellent opportunity for you to do so." She handed me the present.

"I hope you are pleased. Jasper and Alice brought them home for you. When we decided to take you to Denali, Alice saw that she should get them for you." I looked at the box in my lap. It was one of those expensive boxes with the lid wrapped separately from the box. I lifted it carefully. Inside were a brand new pair of skates. I looked at them in awe. I had wanted these forever but my mother said that as I was not a professional, she was not going to spend professional amounts of money on equipment.

I looked at Esme with glowing eyes. "They're perfect." I impulsively hugged her out of thanks and gratitude. _This was so nice!_ I released her and lifted a skate out of the box and looked at the size. Alice had of course gotten it right. "You're really going to take me somewhere I can skate?" _This was so awesome!_

"Yes. We have already contacted the Denali's. They are looking forward to our visit eagerly." Carlisle answered my question. "We will leave this evening."

Alice appeared in the doorway. "Come with me now Leila. We need adequate time to pack." _Of course she would be worried about clothes._ However, I gathered my newly acquired treasure up to follow her back to my room. I looked back at Carlisle and Esme.

"Thank you for this. That you did this for me because I love it." I was addressing Esme more but at that moment I felt a new sense of affection and belonging to them both that I had somehow missed my entire life.

We were traveling to Alaska in two cars. Correction. We were traveling in Carlisle's Mercedes and a black Cadillac Escalade. We had started the trip with Carlisle and Esme driving alone in his car and the rest of us with Rosalie and Emmett in the Escalade. Apparently she had gone and bought the thing outright when Esme had told her we were going to Alaska. I was starting to think they were a lot richer than I could imagine.

Rosalie drove with Bella in the passenger seat. Jasper and Edward had Alice sandwiched in the way back seat leaving Emmett, Renesmee and I in the middle. Emmett had engineered it that way I'm sure, as he had spent four hours alternately entertaining and aggravating us. It was weird to travel by car without having to stop for any human needs. We were in Canada before we needed gas. Jasper and Alice had transferred themselves to the Mercedes without giving ear to Emmett's loudly called, "Traitors!"

When we stopped to refuel the second time I had switched to Carlisle and Esme's car. I was getting nervous about meeting these new vampire 'friends' and wanted the comfort of Esme and Jasper. Emmett didn't take kindly to my defection but I knew his protests and slight insults were all in good fun.

I was sitting in the back seat next to Alice. No one was talking but it was a comfortable silence. I wished there was nice music we could listen to but I was too anxious to ask. _What if the Denali's didn't like me?_ I really did want to listen to music. Maybe I would ask Esme politely if she would turn on something. For some reason I felt shy to ask Carlisle. I leaned forward to ask her but at the last instant leaned back in silence.

It was ridiculous I knew. In the time that I had been with them, no one in the Cullen family had denied me anything except human blood.

Well, I would just think of music in my head since I was too chicken to ask for it.

"Carlisle. Could you turn on some music? Nothing too harsh or contemporary, maybe something instrumental." Alice smiled at me triumphantly. I grinned ruefully back. Apparently I was too focused on my nerves at the upcoming meeting to guard myself.

I saw Carlisle's warm gaze in the rear view mirror as he answered. "Of course Alice." With the push of a button, music quietly flooded the vehicle. It was kind of Renaissance style. It was very pretty and I felt myself relax to the bone. I felt happy and content. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back as I listened, absorbing the almost palpable feeling of peace the music gave me.

I heard Jasper sigh in relief. I opened my eyes long enough to look over at him with an apologetic grimace. "Sorry. I was really wound up, huh?"

He smiled affectionately back. "It's okay Leila. I can totally relate. It was very nerve wracking for me when Alice and I first met the Cullen's. She of course had no feeling of reservation what so ever, but it was difficult for me."

He reached across Alice's lap to give my hand a supportive squeeze. It was a totally unexpected gesture coming from Jasper and I could tell Esme was surprised as well. Alice of course just smiled as she had seen it coming.

The music switched to a new song that I instantly fell in love with. It wasn't as old sounding as the previous song, but it was just so... skate-able. I could picture the most beautiful routine set to it and I instantly knew I would have to skate to it when we reached our destination. I was very excited at the prospect of figure skating again. I thought about it as we flew over the highway, wrapped in the strains of the song. I wondered if I would be able to do everything much easier now. Running, jumping, gaining velocity, even walking were effortless now for me. I could probably do a quadruple axel. _Eat my dust_ .

When the song ended I opened my eyes. "What was that song called?" I asked Carlisle.

"It is a traditional ballad. I am sure there are many titles for it, but I have always known it simply as **Florence**." He spoke with something akin to affection for the music.

I sighed. "It was so pretty. I want to skate to it." I could see my delight in his music pleased him.

The music had distracted me enough that I was taken by surprise when Alice announced, "We're here!" I looked out the windshield at the snowy landscape with a gray swath of driveway sliced through. As we progressed a huge log cabin came into view. I saw the forms of five people standing on the porch. I was so nervous I thought I would pass out. I wasn't afraid of the Cullen's but I was very aware that I would be in the presence of more vampires that could probably hurt me if they so desired.

"Relax Leila. You have nothing to be nervous about and certainly nothing to fear," Jasper reassured me in his dry voice.

Esme turned in her seat and reached for my hand. She couldn't quite reach so I willingly stretched it forward to hold her hand. "They are going to love you just like we do." Her tone was reassuring and did nothing to calm my nerves but I smiled halfheartedly anyway.

Carlisle pulled to a stop with a crunch of tires on the loosely packed snow. As if I was watching everything in slow motion, I saw the Escalade pulled up next to us and the doors open at the same time the Mercedes doors opened... with the exception of mine. I felt frozen in place, unable to force myself to do anything. Jasper and Alice, Carlisle and Esme, Edward, Bella and Renesmee, Emmett and Rosalie had all exited their vehicles and had been greeted enthusiastically. All I could think was, '_What if they didn't like me?'_

My door was unceremoniously yanked open and I was snatched bodily out of my seat. On the verge of violently reacting, I saw Emmett's grinning face and I punched him in the side discreetly. "I almost took off your head," I informed him soundlessly. He laughed raucously. Jasper was instantly beside us and gave Emmett a silent warning with his scary look.

"Emmett, put her down now."Esme commanded him sternly. I looked over and saw in her eyes that she understood my anger and discomfort. At least his actions had taken my mind off being nervous.

He set me rather gently on the ground to be instantly replaced by Esme at my left side. I could swear I felt my heart thumping in my chest as she led me towards their stupendously beautiful friends. I looked anxiously towards Jasper, reassuring myself that he was right there with me. He smiled in commiseration and gave me a supportive smile. He moved in tandem, never more than a foot away from me.

My attention was taken from him as the first woman came forward to say hello. Tanya, as she introduced herself, was pretty beyond belief... not quite as beautiful as Rosalie, but still. She looked genuinely pleased to meet me and treated me no different than I had seen her interact with the rest of my new family. Though I could not hear a specific wish from her, I still felt a wistful air about her, as if she couldn't quite grasp herself just what it was exactly she truly desired. The part of me that had always been drawn towards these senses began longing to find out what it was. I wanted to get to know her just that quickly.

I looked past her at the rest of her family. They looked just as happy as she did and I started to think that maybe this would work out. I still didn't want to be away from Jasper though... just in case. He was my big brother; my protector. Somehow I knew he absolutely loved me and he made me feel very safe.

I felt someone squeeze my hand fleetingly and I glanced his way in time to see the expression that told me he had felt my emotions towards him. My answering smile to the darker woman – Carmen was genuine this time and I could sense Esme was happy with my acceptance by and towards her friends.

I was thinking I would actually have a lot of fun on this visit.


	15. Chapter 15

ESME POV

It was poetry in motion, more stupendously beautiful than anything I had ever witnessed. The graceful fluid motions were hypnotizing and I knew that the rest of my family was equally enthralled.

We stood at the edge of a smooth expanse of ice watching Leila skate. Emmett had provided a sound system of a kind for her to have music, and Tanya had shown her this place. All of us, the Denali clan included, had followed to see what she could do.

When Leila had said she was pretty good at figure skating I had thought that it had probably been a recreational pastime for her as a young human girl. But this… this was amazing. Granted, some of it could be attributed to the balance and agility from being a vampire. But the artistry in her movements, the choreography, spoke of an already present ability.

She was smiling as she danced across the ice, her face turned up to the sun. It was the most relaxed and happy I had seen her. It was as if she had finally come back to her favorite place to be and it was beautiful to behold. Every movement was perfectly synchronized to the music and her balance was impeccable. She suddenly skated backward picking up speed with a concentrated look before launching herself with one foot into a jump, spiraling six times over before landing gracefully on the other foot.

"Jeez. How did she do that?" Emmett muttered as she went into a circling turn before a series of intricate footwork. Renesmee smiled as she watched in utter fascination. "Isn't it awesome?" she breathed in echo to Emmett's question.

Jasper had a serene look on his face and I watched him for a moment appreciating the picture he made with Alice leaning into him, his arms wrapped around her. He turned and looked at me with his lopsided smile.

"It is a relief for her to be so anxiety free." I nodded in agreement, remembering the strain she had been under.

We had been in Denali for three days, all of which were wonderful. The sisters, Carmen and Eleazer loved Leila. Garrett had been graciously polite in his greeting and watched her with interested eyes as if he was trying to figure out this strange, beautiful girl.

She had been enormously anxious when we first arrived, refusing to leave Jasper's side. It would have been almost comical how clingy she had been to him, but I could see she was battling against totally losing it. She was after all only a few months old.

After we had been welcomed and settled, Kate had looked at her shrewdly before announcing that she and Garrett needed to hunt. I saw that Leila's eyes were so dark they were black. This was normal for us if we were hungry, but her eyes were never darker than an eggplant color even when she was 'starving'.

In the moment of silence I saw her yank once fiercely on Jasper's sleeve, as if encouraging him to invite himself along. I held back a smile. Those little childish gestures gave me so much pleasure. It was as if she did them just to reassure me that I did have a young daughter now.

Jasper, who had to have felt Kate's intent, obliged his little sister with an uttered, "If it would not be an inconvenience, perhaps Leila and I could join you."

"Of course, it would be our pleasure." Kate's answer was perfectly balanced to show hospitality but not put Leila on guard.

Leila breathed a relieved sigh before turning to me. "You don't mind do you?" she whispered, seeking my approval. She was emotionally exhausted I could see. I crossed to her to touch her face before hugging her.

"I don't mind at all sweetie." She sagged momentarily against me as if she wished to stay there. "I'll be here when you return." I reassured her. She smiled wanly.

When they had departed, Eleazer figuratively pounced on Carlisle. "Where did you find her Carlisle? I have never in my entire existence been in the presence of one so gifted, human or vampire." His golden eyes were intent and focused.

Carlisle pondered this for a moment before he replied. "Well, it wasn't so much 'were did we find her' as it was ' she found us.'"

Though it wasn't necessary for comfort's sake, we naturally gravitated to the lovely sitting room for the discussion to come. While Carlisle took the lead, everyone had input in the story. Eleazer, Carmen and Tanya listened in silent fascination as the details unfolded.

"Her eyes when you arrived, were purple," Carmen commented when we had finished. "I have never in my life seen eyes that color. Did you not say she was mere months old?"

Carlisle inclined his head. "Yes. When she first came to us, her eyes were a dark burgundy as she had been drinking the pouches of human blood. There was an incident where she caught the scent of the wolves and she immediately went into a focused, almost trancelike state, where she insisted she had to protect us. Her eyes turned the most unique, amazing color then. They have never changed back."

"Depending on her thirst and her level of happiness, they fluctuate between a lilac color and a deep purple," I added. "She also seems to be highly affected by music."

Tanya shook her head in amazement. "Have you discovered her talent yet?"

"_Talents_, you mean?" Alice huffed. She was slightly perturbed at Leila's ability to thwart her visions at will. "That sneaky girl. She can do all kinds of things. I know she can do more than we know of, too. I have seen that we are going to be surprised by things she does but I can't see _what_!"

Although she spoke out of frustration, I knew Alice didn't actually have malice towards Leila. She had just never been one-upped before. I saw Edward hide a smirk at whatever he was hearing in her thoughts.

"So, what exactly do you know of her gifts?" Tanya pressed a touch impatiently. Eleazer looked puzzled as if he was processing what he had sensed from her.

"I cannot pinpoint a specific ability. That is what struck me immediately as so extraordinary. The moment she stepped out of the car it felt like all of your family's gifts were magnified, along with a sense of healing. There is also something beneath it all that I have never felt before. But whatever it was, it is more powerful a feeling than even those from Aro or Jane."

I looked at him in shock. _My youngest daughter was more powerful than Aro or Jane? Oh boy. That could not be good!"_

"No mother," Edward gently corrected my thoughts. "He was saying that the feeling he got was stronger than the feeling projected from Aro and Jane. We didn't know that Leila is more powerful than them."

"I wouldn't put it past her though, bro," Emmett interjected. "She is one mighty little thing. If I didn't plain out adore the kid, I would be seriously pissed with her."

Carmen raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Emmett grinned. "You should see little sister fight. Ho boy. I would _looove_ to see Felix try to take her on. I'm man enough to admit that she can kick my ass. Every time. It took all of us, sans Rosalie and Bella to subdue her the first time she freaked out." He shot me a look. "Of course mama here didn't do any restraining. _She_ just rubbed her head and babied her… a feral vampire." He shook his head as if disgusted.

Though his tone was accusatory, I knew he was joking. I heard the pride in what he said. Emmett appreciated my mothering more than anyone. Well, he was probably neck and neck with Alice.

"So she is physically stronger than you?" Carmen asked Emmett. "It is probably just her newborn strength."

Emmett shook his head muscled arms folded across a chest twice the width of Leila's body. "Uh uh. I've fought newborn guys twice her size who were insanely strong. This isn't just the blind strength of a newborn; this is an inherent power that is unbelievable. She would be almost impossible to stop. We only subdued her because she was weak and sick."

"Sick!" Tanya exclaimed. "I still cannot believe she was rendered unconscious. I have never heard of such a thing happening before!" This set off more conversation. We were still answering questions, speculating on everything we had individually thought, when Alice spaced out.

"They will be home in a few minutes." She informed the group.

"So, you think her ability is to enhance the gifts of others?" Tanya asked Eleazer, returning to the question that had never fully been answered.

Alice shook her head. "I don't think she enhances anything. I think she steals them." We all looked at her in shock. Edward focused on Alice, picking out thoughts from her head I assumed.

"Steals them?" Carlisle asked slowly as if he wasn't sure that he had heard her correctly.

She shrugged. "Well, when Jasper tried to relax her, she told him to 'try it' and then he collapsed for several seconds. She's known exactly what I was thinking on several occasions and she somehow got every little detail of everything I ever wanted absolutely right for my anniversary." She looked around as if daring anyone to disagree with her. "So yeah. I think she can steal our abilities."

Edward seemed to be thinking hard. "I think Alice may be right. But I also think she is still trying to figure things out herself. She has briefly touched me in passing when she seemed to be focusing intently on one person. Maybe touch helps her to utilize the theft; if that _is_ what she is doing."

I was sitting there, stupefied. _She could steal others gifts and use them? Double oh boy! If the Volturi ever found out about her…_I didn't even want to think about that.

Edward turned his gaze towards me. "If she is able to steal any ability, the Volturi would want her more than anyone else. It would be very bad for them to find out about her."

Leila had been much more relaxed when she had returned, exchanging an easy friendly banter with Garrett whom she seemed to have taken a liking to. The aggression of hunting had obviously released a lot of the pent up agitation and I was glad to see her happy with her pretty lavender eyes.

She had been very disappointed when her skating had been postponed by an eighteen-hour blizzard. However when she saw that the winds had swept her makeshift rink clear it had been worth the wait in her eyes.

I was glad it had turned out that way also. We had enjoyed some very nice hours of fellowship with our familial counterpoints and above that, Tanya seemed to have formed an attachment to Leila that erased a little of the sadness in her eyes. It was as if my precious daughter filled a little of the void left by Irina's murder.

As I watched Leila continue to skate completely oblivious to anything or anyone, I knew that this blissful peace that was pervading our lives presently would be shattered sooner or later. Life had taught me that. I just prayed I had whatever it would take to keep my family whole and healthy.


	16. Chapter 16

I know it's ridiculously insecure of me, but could someone PLEASE review! :) 

**Leila POV**

"Emmett! Where's my iPod?" I yelled at who I was pretty sure was the culprit behind my missing music player. I swear he was getting on my last nerve today. Usually I liked the big goof ball, but today he was just pissing me off. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I was already in a bad mood so his usual hi-jinks were rubbing me wrong. I couldn't figure out why I had such bad feelings, but I felt emotionally unstable. I had thought about my family all night and now I felt sad and edgy.

"I want it now!" I screamed, enraged when he ignored me. I knew he could hear me upstairs, he was just choosing to not to answer. A little dark head appeared at the banister on the second floor and Renesmee smiled between the spindles. "I got it back from him, Leila." She held up the silver sliver triumphantly as she vaulted over the railing just as Emmett came tearing around the corner after her. He shook his finger at her from the second floor.

"You naughty little girl, someday Nessie, someday." His warning was met with a giggle as she leaped onto my back and hugged my neck.

"Leila will protect me if you try." her sing song taunt was confident and he rolled his eyes with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah. I was just adding a few songs for your enjoyment," he informed me with a grin that told me whatever he put on it was most likely either aggravating or perverted.

Sometimes I wondered if the family, especially Emmett, remembered I was actually barely sixteen and not a senior citizen in a teenage body. I didn't have years and years of being jaded to life like they were and sometimes things either confused me or were extremely inappropriate.

Emmett disappeared, presumably returning to his guest room and Rosalie. Renesmee flipped over my shoulder and hugged me in a four limb hold. "Are you going skating today? I wanna watch you if you do." I smiled at her angelic face and nodded. She touched my face as she spoke. "I wish you would teach me how to skate. It's so pretty."

"Yes I'm going skating. And yes you can watch me if it's okay with your mother." She was so damn cute as she squealed and hugged me before jumping down.

"Okay. I'm going to ask mommy and then we can go." She stopped halfway up the stairs and looked at me with a groan. "Don't tell Alice we're going. She'll make me change and dress all over again!" Her petulance over being a human doll was a recent occurrence and Alice laid the blame for her attitude squarely on Bella.

I chuckled at her long suffering expression and turned to make my way to Tanya's studio. She did all kinds of crafty things in there and it was my favorite place in their whole mansion.

I liked Tanya. There was something about her that made me want to be near her. I could see the pain and loneliness in her eyes, but sometimes when she smiled I saw the hint of who she usually was. Esme had told me that she suffered the most over Irina's death. Having Garrett helped Kate a lot but Tanya was alone and felt it much sharper.

She looked up as I entered and smiled absently. "Hello _krasivaya_. How are you today?" She asked warmly. I liked when she said things in Russian. Kate told me _krasivaya_ meant beautiful, which I thought was ironic since Tanya was absolutely stunning.

I sat on a stool across from her and looked at the chunk of wood she was using a chisel on. "What are you making?"

She smiled as she carved a groove down the side. "The cover for those," she replied pointing a graceful finger at a row of figurines. I slid down the work table to look in awe at a group of nesting dolls. "Oh my goodness! Look at them. They're beautiful Tanya!" I saw the pleasure in her eyes at my exclamation.

"I will finish this one today. I have worked on them a while for Nessie." I pointed at a wooden figurine that uncannily resembled Alice.

"Is that Alice?" I asked. She nodded with a smile and as I looked closer I realized each doll resembled a family member. Tanya slid down the table. "Yes. This is Jasper," she pointed to the doll next to the wooden Alice. "I was going to do them in a row but it wouldn't have worked that way. I don't think Edward would appreciate being put in Alice." I laughed at the mental image as she pointed to another pair. "Rosalie fits inside Emmett. Alice fits inside Jasper." There was a tiny figure that she picked up. "Renesmee fits in Edward and Bella," she said, lifting a carving of Edward with his arm around Bella. The perfect replication of their features was astounding. She pulled the top from the statue to reveal a little hole that Renesmee fit into perfectly.

"That's amazing Tanya! How did you do the faces so perfectly?"

She set down Edward's family to pick up a larger double doll. Looking closely at it I could easily see Carlisle and Esme in the faces. When she pulled the two pieces apart I saw a single person inside. She pulled it out. "Edward and Bella hold their daughter and Carlisle and Esme hold theirs." She turned the doll and I saw my own face on the small piece of wood.

"I had to wait til you arrived to add the face to her, but I think you turned out well." Her words held humor and affection.

"They're beautiful. You're very talented Tanya."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I have had centuries to learn things Leila. Give yourself a few decades and you will amaze others with how you are able to accomplish anything."

She placed Alice inside Jasper and Rosalie inside Emmett. "Will you go to skate today?" she asked casually as she continued carving the cover for the wooden family.

"Probably. Since we're supposed to leave tonight, I figured I'd take the opportunity." I slid back to where she was at the table and watched as she worked repetitively. She stopped her work with a sly look before crossing the room to open a cupboard.

"I made you something. I was going to give it to you when you were leaving for home, but..." she removed something from the cabinet but kept it where I couldn't see what it was. She smiled when she looked back at me. "I really want to see how it looks on you."

She held up an ice blue garment and it took a second for me to realize what it was. I gasped as I took in the intricate detailing and pushed off my stool to race across the room. "It's a skating costume! Oh my god! It is so awesome!"

It wasn't a cheesy Tanya Harding style costume, it was just gorgeous. The top was made out of white chiffon gathered and sewn into a ribbon bias. The gathers were caught under the bust-line by a satin piping. The body of the dress was blue silk that flared into a skirt. Instead of the typical pointed hemline, there was a white chiffon ruffle layered under a shorter double frilled blue one. The sleeves matching the bottom of the dress were perfect. And the final touch that just made it beyond awesome was the beading and little hanging crystals that decorated the bodice and sleeves.

"So you like it?" Tanya asked when I just stared. I nodded enthusiastically. "I love it! Can I try it on?" She laughed in the tinkling way I had become accustomed to since moving in with a vampire clan. "Of course you can try it on. I want to see you skate in it before you leave."

She removed it from its hanger as I stripped off my clothes. When I stepped into it, I realized that she had used a stretchy silk which made it even better. As I pulled the top over my shoulders, Tanya turned me towards a mirror hung inside the cupboard door. "Look at the back," she instructed as I beheld myself in the beauteous creation. I took a second to look at the front before I pivoted and looked over my shoulder.

"Oh wow!" The back was scooped down to my shoulder blades with white satin ribbon lacing the back in wide swathes. It finished the dress with a stunning effect.

"Wow! You look so pretty!" I turned to the doorway at Nessie's declaration. Bella was standing there with her and she nodded in agreement. "You really do look amazing," she said in her kind way.

Nessie was vibrating with energy as she stood there, being held in place I was sure, by her mother. "Mommy said we can go watch you because she wants to watch you skate too. Are you ready to go now?" she asked the last in a hopeful voice.

I turned back to the mirror for one more look as I nodded affirmatively. "I just need to get my skates."

Bella held them up. "We brought them. Renesmee insisted that we needed to bring them so you didn't take forever to go get them." Tanya, Bella and I all laughed at the childish logic as it would take literally two seconds for me to retrieve them from my guest room.

"Well, let's go!" Tanya said enthusiastically to us as she swept towards the door. The grace and kindness with which she treated Bella always made me admire her. I had heard of her previous feelings for Edward, yet she never treated them with anything other than familial hospitality and affection. I really hoped that she found someone wonderful someday.

We were leaving the house as Rosalie and Emmett came down the staircase. "Going skatin'?" I turned and growled at Emmett's irritating remark. Rosalie just smiled nicely. "Where did you get your dress? It's beautiful."

Addressing her with overstated brightness I answered. "Tanya made it for me. Isn't it awesome. It's a skating costume. It would be worth thousands if I bought it."

"Oh please. That looks like something from Walmart," Emmett scoffed. "No offense," he added with a little bow at Tanya. She narrowed her eyes but seemed to catch that he was just aggravating me.

"Have you ever been to Walmart?" Renesmee asked in a tone that was equally snide and curious. She too realized that Emmett was being obnoxious but her natural curiosity made her wonder if he had been to Walmart. She certainly hadn't. With the possible exception of Bella, I was positive no one in the Cullen family had ever stepped foot into one. It was just too far beneath them.

"Here's a thought," I snapped at Emmett. "Why don't you just leave me alone today, okay? I'm really not in the mood for any of your crap."

"Ooh!' He did a little exaggerated hand motion with his mockery. Rosalie smacked his arm. "Knock it off Em. You're just being irritating."

He chuckled as I walked out the front door in a huff. Renesmee ran to catch up with me. "Do you have your music stuff?" I stopped dead and screamed. As I turned to retrieve it Alice was there, speakers and iPod in hand. "I saw you would be needing this." I nodded my thanks to her.

I realized as we ran at a leisurely pace towards the lake that was my skating rink that not only had Alice joined us but also Rosalie. Apparently they too enjoyed watching me skate. I wished I had thought to ask Esme to come. I liked it when she was interested in what I was doing. And if I ever asked her for anything she actually seemed happy.

As I was lacing up my skates Alice was scrolling through my playlists. "What are you going to skate to?" I thought about it for a moment.

"Well, I've skated mostly to Classical and instrumental so I was thinking that since we're leaving today I would skate my last time to contemporary music. There's a playlist called Faith and such. That's the one."

I dusted snow off my costume as I stood to look over her shoulder. She had found the right folder and set it to play. Since we had exceptional hearing the small speakers Emmett had brought for me were more than adequate for me to enjoy the music with my skating. Remembering that he had done a nice deed for me mad some of my irritation with him dissipate.

I skated out on the ice absently noticing that I could see through the ice a little more today. Kate and Tanya said the ice thawed enough by July to break through. It was the end of May so I was good.

The first song to play was a Reba McEntire song called _The Night the Lights went out in Georgia_. It was a perfect song to start to. As I began to skate to the music I forgot everything else; everyone watching me, my anger towards Emmett, my family. The songs continued to play on, everything from Eminem to the Spice Girls, Elton John and Leann Rimes, Linkin Park and Carrie Underwood.

In a pause between two songs I looked towards the shore. Rosalie and Tanya, Alice, Bella and Kate stood watching. Edward was there as well holding Renesmee and Garrett stood between him and Kate. Conspicuously missing was Emmett. I shrugged it off. As long as he was leaving me alone I was happy.

I recognized the introduction of the last song. It was a song sung by Faith Hill, _Love will Always Win_. I had chosen it because it made me think of Esme. It made me want what I was living right now to last, to actually be part of her family and have a mother.

As I skated past my audience I met Tanya's eyes for a moment before she looked away. I had seen aching loneliness but also a determination and strength in her eyes. The music was affecting her just as it did to me.

The music was building towards a crescendo as I matched my steps to it when I felt a ripple of danger. My gaze flashed to the shoreline mid turn and I frowned when I saw everyone standing serenely still watching. _Must have been nothing._ I followed the music, allowing the good feelings it gave me to translate into the art of ice dancing. I closed my eyes and just went with what felt beautiful and right.

I smiled as I recognized the approach of a light almost delicate part of the song. There was a definite mental image I had in my mind for years that would look beautiful with the music, yet I had never come close as a human to executing the maneuvers. This time every step, every turn, every arm motion was perfect. I laughed in exultation. It was perfect and beautiful. The music swelled again towards the end and I heard the spontaneous applause from my new family on the shore.

As I turned to look at them with an elated smile, the world exploded under my feet with a deafening boom.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Thank you to those who have reviewed. It helps the creative process to know people are enjoying it! Love hearing from you!**_

_****_

Leila POV  


As I was plunged into wet black darkness, panic seized me completely. It was so freezing cold I gasped instinctively. I began to thrash frantically as water flooded my lungs. Though a small corner of my mind knew it would be easy for me to get out, panicky memories were suffocating everything else out.

Looking up I saw light coming through a hole in the ice. I kicked viciously propelling towards it, a new wave of terror gripping me as I realized the hole was freezing over.

I wasn't me anymore. I was six years old reliving my own personal nightmare. I felt my lungs burn with the need for oxygen as I fought towards the ice layer.

I was crying with fear and desperation, the memory of my pink snowsuit weighing me down felt absolutely real. I was completely lost in the past, caught in the most terrible moment of my life. I reached the thin layer of newly frozen ice and lifted my fists to pound on it. I clearly saw orange and pink mittens on my hands as I broke through the ice.

A whisper of reality probed my mind but the grip of fear was too strong to break. I surfaced coughing out freezing water and screaming for my mother. I was no longer in the white frozen tundra of Alaska. I was back in Oregon, on the big pond behind the Marshall's house. I tried to grip the ice as the weight of my sodden suit and bulky boots pulled me backwards. I could find no purchase with my mitten hands and as I tried to pull myself out the ice cracked and broke beneath the blows.

My mother looked at me as she took my brother and sister from the ice. _She was leaving me!_ She turned away and hurried them off the cracked pond as I tried to climb out. I screamed, begging and pleading for her to help me, not to leave me. _It was so cold._ I could hardly move and everything ached.

She just walked onto the shore and turned to look at me.

_She was going to let me die!_ I laid my head on the ice and cried. _I wanted my daddy! _

I felt myself slide back towards the water and as the arctic chill closed over my shoulders, two bruising hands tore me out of the water and I was flying through the air.

_**Esme POV**_

_ Carmen and I were hanging curtains to finish the redecoration of her room when there was a thunderous crash followed seconds later by the most chilling screams I had ever heard. Every primal maternal instinct in me kicked into high gear. Carmen looked at me with stunned eyes in the fraction of a second before I tore out of the house in the direction of the screaming._

"Mama! Help me!"_ I had never heard such complete desperation in a voice before. _What could have happened for Leila to react this way?_ I ran faster as a hundred horrible things ran through my mind. I reached the top of the hill that led down to the lake and saw the strangest sight. The only thing that kept me running was the terrified shrieks still coming from Leila._

_ She was clinging to the ice, submerged to her chest in water. Somehow a huge hole had been blown through the foot thick ice. I was completely bewildered why she was screaming for help instead of simply jumping out. I saw most of my children with Tanya and Kate just standing on the shore with stunned looks. Suddenly Leila looked at me with such a stricken look and then laid her head down on the ice and cried. When she started slipping off the ice I vaulted the last hundred yards and snatched her forcefully out of the water. _

_ I was surprised at how far and fast I had moved. I was by no means any kind of warrior. I happily left that sort of thing up to my family. I was just the mother. Maybe it was the mother bear instincts at work to save my child from what was obviously a horror for her. _

_ With Leila in my grasp, I leaped to where every one stood and laid her down to see if she was injured. There was no injury visible, no missing body parts, no cracks in her skin, no bite wounds. _

_ She was staring sightlessly with wild eyes. Her lips looked almost blue and she was shivering violently. A continuous whimpering moan came from her and her hands were clenched so tightly it worried me. _

What on earth had traumatized her this badly? And why had no one rescued her from the water when she flipped out?

_ Edward captured my attention when he knelt next to me, Renesmee having been transferred to her mother. _

_ "She's trapped in a memory from childhood." He spoke quickly. "She broke through ice when she was six and her mother took the other children off the ice and did not even _attempt_ to rescue her."_

_ He looked intently at Leila, listening to her inner voice. His eyebrows pulled together in a fierce frown as I vacillated between watching him and looking at Leila's ashen face. I was holding her hand and rubbing her forehead in a soothing motion hoping to comfort her. Her lips moved once and I leaned closer trying to hear if she had spoken. They moved again._

_ "So cold. So cold." Her voice was thready and she was still unfocused. Her hair was frozen around her face like golden spikes and I realized for the first time she was wearing a sparkly mini dress. "Ccccold," she whispered again. _

_ I lifted her into my arms and turned towards the house. As I did so, I noticed Emmett for the first time. He was standing a few hundred yards away with the most horrified expression I had ever seen on him. Anger flooded me in an instant as I saw his clothes. They were wet, actually they were frozen stiff. _He did this!_ He actually took a step backwards at the fury in my eyes._

_ As I ran towards the house, every one following me, I saw in my peripheral vision Jasper, Carlisle and Eleazer running from the east. They had been hunting but had obviously heard the screams. Carlisle and Jasper reached me as I stepped onto the porch. Carlisle opened the door for me and Jasper looked at Leila with worry and immense pain in his eyes._

_ "What happened?" Carlisle asked in his doctor's tone. He frowned as he looked at me. "And why are _you_ carrying her?"_

_ I glared at my children behind me with specific venom directed at Emmett. "They left her screaming, none of them even moved to rescue her." A flash of movement had my head turning and a second later Tanya came down the stairs with a large woolen blanket. Leila was still shivering as she was wrapped in the blanket. _

_ "I have started a hot bath to warm her." Tanya spoke gently, concern coloring her gaze. Everyone was standing, quietly staring, the confusion of the last three minutes effectively silencing the usual comfortable atmosphere. As I moved up the stairs Tanya followed me quickly and I heard Bella speak._

_ "Here, take her Kate. I should help Esme." Her light footsteps tapped up the stairs matched in stride by Edward's and they followed me towards Leila's room. The moment we turn the corner I heard Rosalie quietly explode._

_ "What is wrong with you Emmett? Did you see what you did to her? Huh? Did you even think? Or did you just decide that supreme stupidity would be a good idea?" I could almost feel sorry for him as Alice joined in the berating until I looked down at the girl in my arms. She looked terrible, as if she had just gone through hell._

_ As we entered the expansive bathroom Bella stopped Edward at the door with a small hand to his chest. "Wait here. If she comes out of her stupor I don't think she would appreciate a guy in the room when she's naked." Closing the door, she crossed to me as I set Leila on the small padded bench near the tub. Tanya and Bella each removed a skate as I unwrapped the blanket from around her and began to remove her dress. _

_ "Be careful Esme. She's worrying that her dress will be ripped," Edward called through the door. I looked in her eyes but they still stared wildly, never making contact with mine. I carefully stripped the dress down her body and was encouraged when she moved with me as I began to lift her, stepping unstably into the bathtub._

_ As she sat in the hot water her eyes squeezed shut and her hands clenched into tight fists, a look of sheer agony on her face. She moaned and breathed heavily and then to my utter shock one fat liquid tear squeezed from under her lashes to trail slowly down her right cheek. _

_ I heard Tanya inhale. "Oh my goodness!" Her whisper was stunned. From outside the door Edward hissed and spoke one word. _

_ "Carlisle!"_

_ The three of us stood beside the tub, unable to move. I couldn't believe my eyes. She moved in a jerky motion and as her feet twitched she let out a cry. She began to rock in tiny motions back and forth. With each movement an almost involuntary "ow" came out of her. I snapped out of my stupor to kneel next to the bathtub but I froze for a moment unsure of what I should do to comfort her. I touched her head gently smoothing her hair back as I leaned forward a fraction. Her hair was thawing in the steaming air and her teeth had stopped chattering. _

_ "Leila honey," I spoke slowly not wanting to startle her. "Can you tell me what's wrong?" She didn't respond and I bit my lip, slightly distressed over this current state. _Damn! _She had been doing so well adjusting._ I was going to kill Emmett!

_ Bella sat on the edge of the tub with a small porcelain pitcher and scooped up hot water. As she poured it over Leila's shoulders and back, another whimper came from her followed by another tear. "Ow. It's hot!" Leila's words were said in a tearful voice and she cried as Bella continued to pour water over her._

_ "I know it is but we need to warm you up." I spoke the illogical words knowing somehow that it was the right thing to say. Temperature did not affect us so whatever she was feeling was psychological._

_ When her shivering ceased and her hands loosened, Bella stopped pouring water and stepped aside for Tanya who approached with a large towel. Placing my hands under her arms I lifted her bodily out of the water to stand on the fleece rug. She focused her gaze on me for an instant and looked confused as if she didn't know who I was. _Maybe she's coming out of it,_ I thought hopefully. _

_ I guided her into the bedroom where Carlisle and Edward stood waiting. Carlisle grasped her chin and looked closely at her, the widening of his eyes and slight flare of his nostrils told me that he was too curious to be sensitive to her state._

_ "Unbelievable!" he whispered, excitement clearly in his voice as he saw the tear track on her cheek. I gently pushed him away instructing him and Edward to wait outside while we dressed her. Bella was choosing clothes from a suitcase as the door closed behind the men._

_ Leila was unresistant as I toweled her dry and Bella pulled a long sleeved t-shirt over her head. Tanya lifted each foot to slip her underwear and soft leggings on. Although she looked haunted, Leila seemed to no longer be in a catatonic state. She took a step toward the bed and Tanya stepped in front of her and pulled back the fluffy down comforter. I guided her and had her sit on the side of the bed and her hair began to drip down her back. _

_ Bella took the discarded towel and quickly twisted her hair to wring out the excess moisture. As she did so Edward opened the door. "Stop Bella!" he said with urgency. I looked at him strangely and then followed his sight to Leila's face. Her eyes were squeezed shut again and she started crying again. "Leila," Bella said carefully. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." _

_ Leila laid on her side and pulled her knees up to her chest. "She left me. I asked her to save me and she left me in the water." She gave a little hiccuping sob. I sat next to her and touched her shoulder. "I'm right here honey," I said softly, hoping to remove the devastation of being abandoned. She reached out and shoved my hand off her shoulder._

_ "No you're not! You left me in the water!" she wailed as I pulled back in shock. She cried in earnest now and I felt completely gutted that I was being rejected for the sin of another woman. "I want Daddy!" _

_ "She's not rejecting you mother. She is completely wrapped in the past and she doesn't even see you as you." Edward's reassuring words were whispered from directly beside me. I looked at him uncertain but stepped back when he directed me by my shoulders. Tanya leaned over the far side of the bed. "Babala, can you tell me why you are so sad?"_

_ "Where's daddy?" Leila demanded angrily. "I want Daddy!" We all stood looking at her helplessly. This was a conundrum. There was no distracting her as she was. Distraction was the best tool for dealing with an emotional newborn, but she was not even in the present._

_ "Allow me," Carlisle said as he stepped around me and sat down. "Daughter, can you tell me what's wrong?" She sniffled. "Daddy?" He raised an eyebrow at us and nodded. "Mm hmm." She flipped over and flung herself at him. He caught her as she squeezed him in a crushing hug. His eyes bulged and he worked to loosen her grip. _

_ "Tell me what happened." He commanded soothingly when she let go of his neck and slid down so she was sitting on the bed resting her head against his chest. She was silent and I realized her breathing was evening out and she was slumped against him. Carlisle gave her time to calm down, as he smoothed her hair repetitively. "Leila?" he asked gently._

_ "I fell through the ice," she said in a wobbly voice. When she didn't say anything more he encouraged her. "Yes I was told that. How did it happen?"_

_ The floodgates opened and the story poured out. "The ice cracked and I fell in. It was so cold. I was calling mama and calling her. She came out on the ice and took Lily and Max and left me. She was just standing watching me freezing in the water and she didn't help me!" The last was a wail filled with hurt that her own mother would leave her. "It was so cold," she said again and shivered. Bella reached forward and pulled up the comforter which Carlisle tucked around Leila. She closed her eyes with a heavy exhale. _

_ Nothing was said for a full four minutes as we all contemplated a mother leaving her child in freezing water without a single attempt to rescue her. "I'm sure your mother wanted to help you." Carlisle said in a neutral voice. The platinum head shook vehemently against his chest. "No she didn't. She _wanted_ me to die!" _

_ "Leila, your mother would never want you to die, she loves you." This apparently was the wrong thing to say to her because she gave a sharp bark of laughter. There was however no humor in it. "No she doesn't. She never loved me." The last was said in a resigned past tense that was a different tone than anything I had heard from her yet._

_ I took a chance and circled the bed to sit on the opposite side. "_I _love you Leila," I told her with feeling. Her eyes opened._

_ "Esme?" she whispered. I smiled in relief. "Yes. It's me." She looked at me with the saddest eyes I had ever seen. She gave a tremulous smile and looked like she would cry again._

_ "I couldn't stop remembering," she said brokenly. "It felt like it was so real." She rested against Carlisle with her eyes closed again, his arms around her seemed to bring her immense comfort. _

_ "She left me in the water. She didn't even try to get me out. She stood there and just looked for so long until the firemen came. She didn't even _try!_"_

_ There was so much bewilderment in her voice. I couldn't help but touch her face. "I'm sorry she left you. But there is nothing I wouldn't do to protect you. I'm sorry that I wasn't there, but when I heard you scream, I ran as fast as I could to get you."_

_ Her brilliant purple eyes opened again. "You rescued me?" _

_ I nodded. "Yes. I heard you and I couldn't reach you fast enough. I was so scared you were hurt." She stared at me for a moment before leaning forward to hug me. Luckily she remembered her own strength for she didn't crush me. She let go with a small smile that made me feel so much better._

_ I was a little surprised when she laid back against Carlisle and closed her eyes. She seemed stripped emotionally and lay slumped against him. She gripped his arm when he shifted. "Please don't leave me," she begged him._

_ "I'm not going to leave you. I will stay with you as long as you need me." She exhaled at his reassurance. Carlisle leaned back against the headboard with a slightly amused look. Tanya left the room quietly, followed by Edward and Bella. I stood, thinking I would take the moment to have a word with Emmett. "Please stay." Leila's plea was a whispered sigh. _

_ I was pleased enough to leave Emmett for later since she wanted me to stay with her. I sat back on the bed scooting closer to Carlisle. I leaned head on his shoulder enjoying the blessed peace that had settled over Leila._

_ From downstairs I heard Edward tell Emmett. "Esme is out for blood when she gets her hands on you. Watch yourself."_

_ "Aw man. I'm in such deep shit!" His groan was genuine, no hint of humor to be found._

_ "Mommy! Uncle Em said a cuss word." I smiled at Nessie's smug little tattle tale tone."You're in big trouble!" she taunted in a sing song voice, enjoying her uncle's debacle._

_ Oh yes. Emmett was in _big_ trouble._


	18. Chapter 18

**To every one who has had to wait for this chapter, I profusely apologize. I had a terrible week and was incapable of doing just about anything. Thank you for reading and especially reviews. I can't believe more than 10,000 people have read my stories. :)**

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Esme POV

_ It was silent as we drove home. I sat in the back seat behind Carlisle, Leila's head resting in my lap. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was deep and even. If I didn't know better I would have though she was asleep. Carlisle's eyes met mine in the rear view mirror. I knew he could see the worry in mine without me uttering a word._

_ Jasper sat stoically in the passenger seat, his face pinched with tension. The past four hours had drained him mentally and emotionally, yet he had insisted on riding with us. Leila's level of distress was a major concern for him and he wanted to be near if she needed him._

_ I just wanted to fix her and make everything better, but I realized that there were some deep issues that we did not know the root cause of yet. Her utter hysteria earlier still had me rattled. The complete inability to calm or comfort her had sent me into a quiet meltdown and I had been gripped with an odd sense of insecurity when she had pushed me away in favor of Carlisle._

_ It wasn't that I was jealous of my husband, there was no one else on earth I would rather have for comfort. But it did sting a little that she wouldn't want me in a motherly role. I kept hearing her blood-curdling screams as I tore across the frozen tundra towards the lake. _"Mama please don't leave me! It's so cold! Help me mama! Please! No! You're leaving me! I can't get out! Mama! Don't leave me!"

_ I had wanted to tear Emmett's head off when I realized he was the cause of it but that would have to wait for later. My main priority was making sure my youngest was okay._

_ Edward knew everything she had thought. For once, he said, there was no censure of her mind. There had not been time for him to tell us everything as Carlisle and I had been with Leila. Bella had taken charge and packed up everything to leave. Although the last day with the Denali's had turned out bizarrely, we left on good terms, with Tanya promising Leila she would come to see her soon. _

_ As the car sped over the deserted highway, I contemplated what kind of woman would leave her child, who had fallen through a hole in the ice without even _trying_ to rescue her. I would have done anything to save my child, it wouldn't have mattered the risk to me. And I couldn't help but feel that when Leila had told Carlisle "_she never loved me_" it wasn't just an emotional statement, but something that she actually believed._

_ "Esme?" I was pulled from my reverie by the softly spoken word. _

_ "Yes Leila."_

_ "Remember when I told you I would tell you about my life before?" _

_ "Mm hmm." I didn't respond with words in case speaking would distract her._

_ "I meant it when I said my mother never loved me. I never understood my whole life why she couldn't stand me. She was always just so _mean."

_She was silent for a minute and as the seconds ticked by, Jasper looked over his shoulder with a fierce frown. Apparently her feelings were very negative. _

_ "One of my first memories is getting stung by a bee. I went into the house crying. Do you know what she said to me?" Her perfect face scrunched into an angry scowl. "She said, _"stop crying Lisa. If you weren't so stupid, this wouldn't have happened."

_ Her eyes opened and she looked up at me. "I was barely THREE! Three years old and she said a bee stung me because I was stupid!" She closed her eyes again with a pout. "My brother Max was nice and put some itch cream on the sting. When my dad got home he pulled out the stinger and gave me antihistamine because I was all swollen and itchy. When he was taking care of me, she kept walking by and looking at me like she hated me and didn't want him to touch me."_

_ "Another time when I was six, my sister Lily pushed me down the stairs. I had learned by then to never go to mother for anything, but Max told her. She yelled at him and said to never lie about Lily again. That I was a little liar and no one should ever believe me because I was a hateful little child."_

_ "When Max saw me in the doorway he looked so mad. I ran up to my room and he came up when she was done screaming at him. I thought he was mad at me too but he told me that I was a nice person and that mother was just not feeling good so she said things she didn't mean."_

_ "Everyone said that. My whole childhood it was always "mother doesn't feel well" whenever she was mean. Funny thing though, she was always nice to the other ones. By the time I was seven I had decided she didn't like me because I was blond and light skinned and Max, Lily and Saul all had dark skin and hair."_

_ Seeming to gather steam, Leila turned from her side to her back and looked up at me, her head still in my lap. "They called her Mom or mommy, but she wouldn't answer me unless I called her mother. Unless we had guests. She acted all nice when people were around, but she still wouldn't touch me unless she was forced to. I don't remember her hugging me once in my entire life."_

_ "I used to lay in bed and listen to her say good night to Max and Lily. For years I would wait, feeling almost nauseous, hoping she would say good night or even just smile. But every night she would look in and say, "don't you get out of that bed". I wanted to cry every time she went out. I never got out of my bed so I couldn't understand why she said that."_

_ Suddenly she smiled. It was a warm happy smile. "When my dad was home he would turn on music and read stories. Sometimes he would watch a movie with me or rub my back til I fell asleep."_

_ "One time when my dad was leaving my room, mother was in the hallway. She started yelling at him in a whisper. ''_Stop spoiling her Razul. When you aren't here she is impossible to control because she thinks she can do what she wants_."_

_ Leila giggled. "My dad said, "_Shut up Iris, just... Shut. Up. I know exactly how she acts. She lives her whole life trying to gain your love and attention, but that's never going to happen is it? We both know you will never change towards her, and neither will I. So let's get something straight. If you ever speak to me like that again about Annelise, I will divorce you._" _

_ "I could see her face in the hallway lights and she looked horrified. I don't think he had ever said anything like that to her before. It made me feel really good that my dad knew how she treated me."_

_ As quickly as she had become happy at the thought of her dad, she suddenly looked devastated. "I went back to the house after I was... you know. They were all there and I watched them and listened for hours, but I was too scared to go inside. My grandparents were there with them and some other relatives and friends. My dad went in his study and I sat outside of it and watched him through the glass. I wanted to go inside and see him so bad."_

_ "And then, my mother came in and I realized when she spoke why she had hated me my whole life." Her purple eyes looked at me with the most haunting sadness. She looked too overwhelmed to speak. I tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear._

_ "What did she say?" I prompted. Even with our exceptional hearing it was a strain to hear her whispered response._

"_She said_, 'Why are you acting so upset?'

_He looked at her with the most incredulous expression. _'Acting? You think I'm _acting_ upset Iris?'

_I had never heard him yell like that in my whole life. _'My daughter was just murdered and you think I'm acting upset?'

_Mother got this really cold look in her eyes._ 'She wasn't even your child. You're being totally ridiculous with your overplayed grief._" _

_ Leila's eyes closed and her mouth shook as if she was trying not to cry. After the longest moment of silence she spoke softly. "He raised his hand and I thought he was going to hit her. Instead he lowered it really slowly and looked at her with this almost cruel smile. _

_ '_ Just because you played the whore Iris, doesn't mean that I did not love, cherish and consider your bastard child my own.' _He spoke in Arabic which he only ever does when he's very angry."_

_ "When I saw the look on my mother's face I knew it was true. He really wasn't my dad. I guess I should have known it when I was old enough to realize I had not one trait that resembled my full-blooded Arab father. But it was the most crushing thing I have ever felt; the moment when I realized the only parent who loved me wasn't even my parent."_

_ "Suddenly I understood everything. It was like my mind was super enhanced and each and every instance with my mother flashed through my head. Her personality and ego made everything clear. I knew instantly the reason why she had treated me the way she had my whole life. With my looks and coloring there was no way any one with eyes and a half functioning mind could believe I was Razul's child. She was constantly humiliated by the glaring permanent proof that she had cheated on him."_

_ "I just ran away then, I couldn't stay there and watch them anymore. When she said that to him, I decided she was not my mother anymore, she never really was anyway. But even though I know Razul wasn't my real father, I will never think of him as anything other than my dad ever."_

_ I just stared at her when she fell quiet. Some people should never have children. There were those who would give anything for a child to love, and then there were those that just did not deserve the wonderful children they had. I felt an almost uncontrollable urge to hunt this Iris down and hurt her for what she had done to Leila._

_ "You know what's funny to me?" Leila waited for a beat before opening her eyes to look at me again. "I had to get murdered to find out what a real mother could be like." She smiled the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. "You should've had a hundred children, Esme. I don't think there is or ever has been a better mother in the whole world."_

_ Her childlike words were the most affirming statement anyone other than Carlisle had ever spoke to me. I looked at her with the most overwhelming sense of love I had felt for one of my children. She was just so perfect. _

_ "I'm glad that I got you for my new mother. Especially since I have to keep you forever, it would kinda suck if you weren't such an awesome mom."_

_ Carlisle, Jasper and I all chuckled at her touching but humorous statement. There was a sense of comfort and peace in the car now and Carlisle turned on music, knowing that Leila loved it. We rode for awhile in silence. We were nearly to our driveway turn off when Jasper turned in his seat with a wry look. Leila sat up abruptly and narrowed her eyes at him. _

_ "Okay, I get it," Jasper said in concession to what ever she wanted. Leila smiled smugly at him. He addressed me in explanation. "Leila is thirsty and she has decided I am also." I smiled at his wry look._

_ "Do you want Alice to go too?" She questioned him as Carlisle drove speedily to the house. Jasper considered for a moment before smiling cheerfully. "Yes. I believe I do want Alice to come."_

_ Alice was his side as he stepped out of the car. "Hello my love. I see we are going hunting." He voice was sing song cheerful and she grabbed his hand before turning to the forest. Leila grinned at me and waved bye before streaking past them into the woods._

_Carlisle put his arm around my shoulder. "It's nice to know more about her, even if what she experienced was unhappy." I held the hand resting above my collar bone. _

_ "It's also reassuring to see that amongst all her anomalies, she is exhibiting some normal newborn traits. How easily her emotions swing back to normal, her focus being shifted easily to other wants."_

_ "Hmm." I agreed vaguely. I had a feeling there was a lot more 'anomalies' to come with Miss Leila. _


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm nearing the end of the line. But for those of you who like the story, don't worry! I have books 2 & 3 finished with only editing to do on the chapters. So Leila will be around for a long time. :) Please let me know what you think and also if you have any ideas or things you would like to see please tell me! Thank you for following this far. I hope you enjoy!**

I was happy to have finally told Esme some of the things that had tortured me all my life, but now, knowing that she, Carlisle and Jasper knew some of my secrets, I needed to get away and depressurize. I decided hunting was just the thing. I focused my thoughts of hunting and the incurring thirst that accompanied them towards Jasper. I knew he had just been hunting earlier but I wanted him to be the one to take me.

He looked behind his shoulder at me with a look and I sat up narrowing my eyes, daring him to refuse me. "Okay, I get it," he said to me and I smiled in triumph. "Leila is thirsty and has decided I am too," he said by way of explanation to Esme. She smiled indulgently at me and I wondered abstractly if there was anything I could ever do to make her less than completely delighted in me.

"Do you want Alice to come too?" I asked Jasper, wanting to be sensitive to him since he had been totally stressed out by my major freakout session. He smiled with genuine pleasure either from the thought of Alice or my thoughtfulness for him. I wasn't sure. "Yes. I believe I do want Alice to come."

As soon as Carlisle came to a stop I was out the car door vibrating with the urgency to get away. I was jittery, more than ready to give over to primordial instincts and just hunt. Alice zipped to Jasper's side with a smile. "Hello my love. I see we are going hunting," she addressed him cheerily.

I grinned at Esme and streaked into the woods. At the last second I caught a flash of Emmett's face as he climbed out of the Escalade. He looked at me with such an abject look of remorse and I felt bad for the severe verbal lashing I was more than positive he had been subjected to by Rosalie, Alice and possibly even Bella. That must have been a very torturous ride. I giggled at the thought of big goofball Emmett being hauled over the coals for being such a jerk. Ah well, I wasn't actually mad at him. He couldn't of known how badly I would've reacted.

A couple of miles later I stopped and closed my eyes inhaling with the hope of smelling something quasi-delicious. I growled in irritation. All I was catching on the wind was deer. _Eww! _I wanted something good. "I'm going east," I told Jasper. He looked at Alice who got a spaced out look for an instant before nodding.

"I don't see any problems," she told him. He looked at me in consideration. "We'll keep a distance behind. Be good," he warned in a serious yet caring tone. I rolled my eyes with a smile. "Be good," I scoffed in good humor.

I took off towards the East and thought how weird it was how I could consistently tell direction now with no compass or GPS. As I ran I tested the air for something appealing. As I prepared to turn south in search of dinner, I smelled something much better than a deer. With no calculated thought, I went after it. There was something so delightful to me about letting instinct take over and just letting go. Within seconds I spotted a cougar.

I wasn't in the mood to play so I went for a straight forward kill. As always when I fed on a carnivore, I growled in delight over the hot blood. The first weeks of my life had been spent on cool human blood; that while delicious tasting, had the grossest texture. As I vacuumed the last drops of the blood from the carcass, I was honestly startled by the unexpected crack of a gunshot.

I was instantly assaulted by the most intoxicating, irresistible aroma I had ever experience. Dropping the wildcat, I shot through the trees with single minded purpose. The smell grew more and more intense making me shake with the absolute need to have it! With one last great leap I was there. I couldn't think coherently, I just did what instinct drove me to do.

_Oh my GOD!_ I purred in ecstasy and had I needed to breathe, would've choked under the flood of the sweetest blood I could ever imagine. I couldn't stop inhaling the hot viscous liquid, my hands clutching my prey in a desperate grip. My self protective instincts registered clumsy footfalls thundering through the forest towards me. I also heard a refined though just as frantic pace from the opposite direction. I didn't care, couldn't stop. In utter euphoria I screamed in my throat as I continued to feed in a frenzy.

The clumsy feet reached me first. Enraged to be interrupted I swung towards the intruder and registered a human man. He was dressed in expensive hunting gear and looked like a rich city type, hunting for recreation. In that fifth of a second I saw in his eyes he had intentionally shot my prey. A very primal part of me appreciated his evil deed, while another part of me loathed his actions. I cocked my head to the side in fascination as I watched the fleeting expressions racing through his eyes before striking him in the forehead so fast and viciously he flew backwards through the forest and landed unconscious and very likely dead.

I reached once again for the body on the ground to finish my meal. When there was nothing left I dropped it and stood, roaring in pleasure and delight... and saw Alice and Jasper standing a dozen yards away watching me with wide eyes. Hers held concern and slight surprise while his held what I could only describe as satisfaction and pride. _Proud of who?_

"That was so good! So fucking good!" I swore I saw Jasper smile the teensiest bit. I looked down at the body of the man I had just so joyously feasted upon. _Oh my god! He was so good._ I wanted more! My mind instantly raced to ways of getting more. _I could use a knife._ It would be so easy and _so_ delicious!

"Leila!" Alice said with urgency and I focused on her again. "What?" I snapped, irritated to be pulled from my fanciful reverie. Jasper scanned the scene before him with sharp eyes.

"He was shot," he murmured and looked again to me with a slight smirk. "Quite a way to get around the handicap," he remarked. I narrowed my eyes. "I didn't shoot him!" My statement was scathing, directed as if he were the world's greatest idiot. I saw Alice go to the man I had struck. "Dead," she told Jasper in a quick quiet undertone.

"_He_ shot him, I just drank him," I defended myself. "And he did it on purpose." _Did I sound like a five year old or what?_

"I know," Alice said kindly. "I saw him calculate and then shoot to kill right before I saw you drink from the wound." _They weren't mad?_ I was slightly confused. I expected anger and disappointment at my consumption of a human.

"We need to set the scene. Their other friends will come looking for them in thirteen minutes." Alice spoke even as she lifted the man. I looked down at the man I had fed on again with something akin fondness and appreciation. I appreciated him dying so I could have such an orgasmic experience and I would never forget him. There was a strange and unexpected absence of guilt as I perused his face. I looked up as Alice carried the other man away. I followed curiously. _What was she going to do with him?_

There was a large boulder in front of a fallen tree and she placed him to look as though he had tripped hurtling the tree and struck his head upon a protruding lump of the boulder. She dusted her hands and smiled at me, though I thought the smile was slightly forced. "All done. The police won't suspect anything other than that man A shot man B and then cracked his own skull on the way to man A."

A strand of my hair blew across my face and I swiped it away irritatedly. The smell of the blood coating my hands filled my senses and I found myself licking the smears of moist blood, humming in pleasure at the taste. Jasper grasped my elbow.

"Come on Leila. We need to leave now." I followed obediently, sucking each finger and licking my palms in an earnest attempt to prolong the glorious experience as long as possible. "Stop." Alice snapped, pulling my arm away from my face. I just switched my ministrations to the other hand. I vaguely paid attention to the run home, too engrossed in reliving the taste and feelings of my favorite hunt to date.

When we broke through the trees and leapt the river I saw everyone on the lawn facing the trees in a line. Edward's bushy eyebrows were pulled together in a fierce frown. Emmett was looking at me with the earlier remorse now over ridden by the same look I had seen on Jasper earlier. That sense of satisfaction and seeming pride. _What were they proud of?_ He winked and smiled at me. Other than elbowing Emmett in the ribs, Rosalie continued to look as cool as always.

Carlisle looked thoughtful but Esme looked as if she would burst with worry. I didn't bother to check out Bella and Renesmee. "I didn't kill anyone!" I opened the dialogue with a defense. "He was already shot and I couldn't stop." The end came out as a whine but I didn't care. I didn't want to be remonstrated over drinking an already dead person. Carlisle did the little thing he always does, pursing his lips and nodding with that sage fatherly understanding.

"Of course not. It would have been difficult for any of us in hunting mode to resist freely flowing blood." I smiled at his words. _Huh. They really weren't mad_. "I am concerned however of the after effects it may have on you." I looked at him strangely before grinning widely.

"I feel awesome! I've never felt so strong and just... good!" Instead of reassuring him, my words seemed to concern him more. "I'm serious," I continued when no one spoke. "I don't have heart burn anymore and it feels amazing!" I closed my eyes for a moment, savoring the complete lack of pain and the strength coursing through my body. _If only it could stay this way forever._

I felt someone approach and I snapped my eyes open. Esme stood there with a gentle smile. "Come on. I'll help you clean up." I frowned at my stained hands not sure if I really wanted to wash the sweet residue from them. Edward gave a short chuckle. "Trust me. It's better if you wash it off. It's easier to resist the urge if you do."

_And there in lie the problem,_ I thought, shutting off Edward's access to my mind. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to resist the urge. It was just too damn yummy!

However I allowed Esme to lead me into the house to remove my clothes and shower off the evidence of my delicious meal.

As the aroma of the blood disappeared down the drain, rational thought once again presided. While just the remembered taste had me screaming for more, did I really want to take a knife to people just so I could suck them dry, delicious as they may be? No. _Damn it_. Now the animal blood that I was usually okay with was going to suck so bad. "Ugghh!" I screamed in frustration at the complete impossibility of it all, driving my fist into the wall of the shower. The marble tile cracked and collapsed inward, leaving a gruesome indent in the beautiful space.

I peeked my head around the shower curtain and saw Esme standing there, the only indication she heard my destructive blow on her serene face a raised eyebrow. "Sorry," I said, feeling like a naughty child. She shook her head with an indulgent smile. "It's okay, you're doing so well for a newborn. Little things like these are totally normal." Again with the complete acceptance. _What could I do, if feeding on a human didn't make her angry?_

I shut off the water and stepped from the shower, wrapping myself in the towel Esme handed me. "Do you ever get mad or are you always just completely happy with all your kids?" I asked curiously. Her laughter was a genuine peal and I smiled with her, the happiness radiating from her irresistible. "No, Leila. I get mad sometimes. It depends on my mood and the reason. And I am definitely not always happy with my children. I just understand how things are at this time for you and I am impressed and pleased with how well you are able to handle your transition."

I felt a warm glow at her praise and wondered how it must be for a new vampire who had the normal ability to bite into a human and feed happily. It must be unbearable to try and resist when you knew there was no impediment. Maybe I was just a little bit lucky to have a handicap as Jasper had ironically called it.

When I walked into my bedroom and saw Alice standing there holding clothes I put up a hand and shook my head vehemently. "No, no, no. I am not dressing up, I am not doing anything except putting on my favorite sweatpants and getting in my bed."

"Nooo..." she replied, drawing out the syllable. "You're putting on your favorite sweat pants and letting Carlisle check you out." I rolled my eyes but acquiesced and stepped into the proffered clothes. "Why does Carlisle need to check me out? I feel outrageously good." Alice wrung my hair in a towel and then smoothed it down. "All good." I flopped onto the bed with an irritated snarl.

"Leave me alone. I don't want anyone poking or prodding me." Esme looked at me with sympathy. "Carlisle will not poke and prod you long. Just give him the peace of mind that you are alright and you can be left alone." I heaved a resigned sigh and stood up off the bed. "Fine."

Alice smiled and grabbed my hand, tugging me behind her downstairs. It felt eerily similar to the first day I was here. The scene downstairs was a repeat of the first day I was here, except that Bella, Rosalie and Renesmee were present this time. And I wasn't completely terrified by Jasper.

"Check out the eyes!" Emmett said in the silence. Rosalie glared at him and the look in Alice's eyes said he should shut up now. I smiled at his obvious discomfort, yet he still spoke. "Just saying." He always had to have the last word. _What did my eyes look like anyway?_ I turned towards the framed mirror that hung on the wall. _Wow!_

They were a plummy purple with spots of burgundy in them. I turned to Emmett. "Dude, take a picture for me. That is so cool!" Apparently I should have reacted negatively to them because Carlisle made a sound in his throat that sounded vaguely reproving. _Huh._ It seemed there _was_ something I could do to bring disfavor from the parents. Rejoicing in the after effects of a human feed was apparently frowned upon. I still couldn't find it in me to feel bad though. I didn't kill him, so therefore I thought of it as a free pass. I had just utilized the body.

_Eww!_ That sounded wrong. I passively allowed Carlisle to do a thorough check up, tuning everything out so I could concentrate on the remembered joy of being fully satisfied. Why did Carlisle think I would have negative after effects? I felt amazing. Just because the blood bank blood made me weird didn't mean a real live human would.

"Well, everything seems to be okay, but I will keep a close watch for a few days." Carlisle's words recaptured my attention and I made a face. "Does that mean you're going to poke and prod me everyday too?" Renesmee giggled from across the room.

"When I was a baby, they did it six times a day." I stuck my tongue out at her. "You still are a baby, Mae." I didn't like the name Nessie so I simply refused to call her that. _Who named her such a thing anyway?_ Edward smirked and nodded almost imperceptibly. _So he agreed with me. Huh. _I would have to find out what I was missing.

Renesmee rolled her eyes. "When I was born I was a _little_ baby." I smiled at her so she didn't feel I was being mean. "I know. I'm just playing with you."

"It is not my intention to torture you Leila, but after the bad reaction you experienced before I find it necessary to be over-vigilant in securing your well being." Carlisle's gently spoken words were full of care and concern. It made me feel like I had a dad again. Dads were like that, they made you do things you didn't want to do but it was always in your best interest.

"Okay." I agreed easily. He raised his eyebrows at my quick acceptance but smiled, pleased. As I was obviously not going to freak out like I had the first day I came here, everyone relaxed and drifted away to do their own thing. Emmett approached me, a rueful look on his face.

"Hey Leila. I'm really sorry..." he began but a I put up a hand. "Don't worry about it Emmett. You didn't know what happened when I was little. Hell, I barely remembered until I was in the water." He smiled slightly. "Still, I feel really bad and Esme is mad as hell at me." I grinned widely at that and peeked over my shoulder. Esme was indeed staring daggers at Emmett. "I'm not mad at you Em, but I can't do anything about Esme."

He huffed out a breath in resigned irritation but scooped me up in a bear hug. "You can kick my ass if you want. I'll let you win the next match." He informed me. I laughed with true humor at that. "You don't need to let me win anything. I continuously kick your ass." He shrugged, "Well, it's the thought that counts."

I returned to my room, feeling kind of tired. I laid down on the bed and utilized the remote to activate the stereo. The music was soothing and I felt myself lulled into a dreamless state. I never registered the door open or the eyes that watched me with fascination and concern.


	20. Chapter 20

ROSALIE'S POV

I couldn't help but stare at Leila. I knew I should get Carlisle, but I just stood there gaping at her. Emmett had begged me to make sure she really wasn't mad at him, since he was convinced she was lying to make him feel better. I knocked on her door and when there was no answer after a few seconds, I inched the door open to peek in. Her music was playing and she was lying on her stomach with one knee drawn up to her chest, asleep.

_She was sleeping!_

I crept closer to stare, shocked and completely fascinated by the notion of a full vampire actually sleeping. Her position and even breathing told me she wasn't unconscious but actually asleep like a human. If Edward didn't read my mind first, I would get Carlisle in a moment. But I couldn't pull myself away just yet.

I stared at her, a hundred thoughts tumbling over in my head as I watched the most beautiful creature on earth in the most enviable pose. Every time I saw her I was literally awestruck at her sheer magnificence. Truthfully I had felt both insecure and jealous when I had first seen her. I was used to being the most beautiful no matter where I was. But she was so much more... glorious. Beautiful was too paltry a word for what she was. I had been glad that I was needed to be with Renesmee because being around her made me quite uncomfortable.

Edward with his inability to stay out of my head, approached me the day Leila and Renesmee had first met. I never expected what he said.

"Rosalie, don't feel uncomfortable with Leila. She is completely unaware of her own looks. She does not think about her beauty or even that she is beautiful. In fact she always feels mesmerized by any of us. But especially when she sees you. She actually feels happy when she sees you. She's not even sure herself why she gets good feelings, but she likes to see you and hear you speak."

I had been very surprised, but it had greatly reassured me and taken away my insecurity. I was however jealous of her. Though I was grateful it was not in a malicious way. I was happy that I seemed to have changed a little in the past few years for the better. My jealousy stemmed from her easy acceptance of becoming a vampire and the complete ignorance she had to her own beauty. I wished it could be as easy for me as it was for her.

As much as Edward said she liked to see me and hear my voice, I realized as I stood above her that I liked to see her too. I always felt transfixed with her especially in the sunlight. The odd golden glow of her skin almost seemed to radiate out and touch me with a phantom warmth. And when she spoke or hummed – something she seemed to do continuously – I felt something inside. It wasn't simply a good or happy feeling, but something that felt like it could heal the cracked pieces of my heart.

There was something about her as a whole also that was just so... pure. With Esme she loved all of us fiercely with a warm maternal love, but from Leila you felt loved by a greater being. It was as if her soul or spirit was so untouched by evil that the purity of it was capable of healing others.

I knew if I was to voice any of my thoughts to the rest of my family, they would think I had lost my mind. Especially Edward, who didn't believe vampires had souls. I couldn't say one way or the other what I felt about religion, it had no place in my life. But if there was a great deity in the sky who created everything and also held the power of it in his hand, I felt it would be a great injustice for him to hold vampirism against those who had no choice in the matter. How one conducted themselves after being changed should be the basis for judgment.

Around Leila I was beginning to think more and more, that we were not simply humans turned into demons. There was not a trait in her that could be considered remotely demonic. She didn't even have the capability to bite a human. _How weird was that?_ I kind of wished I had been able to see that. Jasper had said it was the weirdest, most hilarious thing he had ever seen happen to a vampire.

I considered her now as she lay so still. I was slightly concerned that she may be unconscious again but I was fairly certain that she was merely sleeping. As if too affirm my thoughts, she sighed as she turned on her side tucking her hands under her cheek in sweet repose. A new song began to play and I recognized the melody as something she always hummed. I had never actually heard the lyrics and I looked at the iPod on the nightstand to see the title. It said, 'Because of You' {Rosalie's Song}. As I listened to the words I was slightly confused. Some of the words could be applied to Emmett I guess, but most of them had no bearing on my life.

I looked back to Leila and decided it would be wise to fetch Carlisle. I lingered a moment longer taking in her lovely childlike innocence. As I stepped out of her room I saw Carlisle and Alice coming from his office. I should have known Alice would have seen me getting Carlisle the moment I decided to.

Answering the unspoken question in Carlisle's eyes I simply said, "Leila's sleeping."

"She's _sleeping_?" He asked as he hurriedly set me aside and rushed into her room. I saw his brow furrow as he saw her posture. He leaned over her as his eyes thoroughly scanned over her. "It's not the same as last time. She does seem to be actually asleep!" He was speaking to himself in a quiet incredulous tone. Jasper suddenly appeared in the room so quickly I barely saw him move before he was standing close to Carlisle.

"What is wrong with her?" he asked urgently, clearly upset with anything being wrong with Leila. Esme followed his trail into the room worry in her eyes "Carlisle?" she said softly. He looked up at her with a reassuring smile. "I was expecting a reaction from her of some kind, though I must admit sleeping was not what I expected."

He looked back down at her seeming to be almost unsure of how to proceed. Jasper leaned around him and gently touched her shoulder. "Leila?" He said quietly. She twitched and pushed his hand away. "Well, that's encouraging," Carlisle said. "At least we know she isn't unconscious like the last time."

Taking a cue from Jasper Esme sat on the opposite side of the bed and ran a hand over her hair. "Honey can you tell me if you feel okay?" Leila turned her head into the pillow in a move that seemed irritated. Esme leaned closer. "Dear?" Leila moved restlessly with an annoyed, "stop." Esme ran her hand over her head again and Leila flipped onto her back angrily. Her eyes were still closed as if she was refusing to wake up under any circumstances. "I'm sleeping. Leave me alone," she mumbled.

Esme smiled at her even though she could not see it and spoke in a patient mother voice. "I know you are honey, but if you can just tell me if you're okay you can go back to sleep." In a flash of movement Leila was laying on her stomach with a pillow over her head. Esme rubbed her back and her head came up off the mattress.

"Dad!" she yelled in an impatient voice. "They won't leave me alone!" Her head thumped back on the bed. Carlisle looked at Esme with an amused smile. "It seems she is unappreciative of our concern for her." Esme looked bemused and slightly hurt. "What should we do?" She asked in an upset voice.

"As she seems to be alive and well, I would say there is no choice but to leave her be. Someone should stay though to monitor her." Carlisle spoke in his gentle way which calmed Esme. I saw Alice stiffen and then glare at Jasper – which I took as him preparing to offer to stay with her.

"I'll stay," I spoke quickly. "I do have a medical degree so I'll make sure she is okay."

"Are you sure?" Esme asked. "I do not mind staying with her at all. Emmett may..."

I shook my head. " I don't mind at all. And Emmett can find me in here if he needs something." She squeezed my hand with a grateful smile. "Thank you Rosalie." I nodded in acknowledgment before sitting in the easy chair Emmett had brought in her room when she first arrived. Leila had kept it when she woke up and had protested when Alice had tried to remove it.

The others had left the room more than an hour before when Leila removed the pillow from her head and turned onto her side again. She looked so peaceful laying there in a deep slumber and I couldn't help but smile when I thought of her angry yell for Carlisle. I wondered though if she was really calling Carlisle or if she was remembering her father.

I thought of what Esme had relayed to us about Leila's memories. I could not imagine having such clear sharp memories of my family. I had to strive to remember the things of my human life. The memories that remained were the ones I had faithfully replayed over and over, and they were still a little clouded. I did not envy her her memories, knowing that it would be crushingly unbearable to miss my family and have no hope of ever seeing them.

Leila twitched and turned into her pillow, hugging it tightly. She moved and jerked a little, a small frown marring her angelic face. I moved close to the bed and reached a hand to lay it on her shoulder. She relaxed again and I removed my hand. A moment later she let out a little, "huh", that was somehow sorrowful in it's little syllable. I bit my lip unsure if I should wake her. I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness and a pull to comfort her.

Cautiously, I laid down next to her, almost surprised at my own actions even as I lay down. I tentatively touched her forehead and she sighed, relaxing with an almost imperceptible smile curving on her lips. In a move that shocked me, she scooted closer and placed an arm around my waist, hugging herself to me like a small child as she slept.

Right then and there I completely melted. I felt a great wave of affection for her and hugged her back. It was so easy to imagine her as a little sister or a small child who needed to be cared for. In a way she was. Though she was barely younger than us in physical looks, she was a baby comparatively. We had decades on her and she had been thrust unceremoniously into our world all alone after a horrifying change.

To be the happy, loving girl she was after her start in this life was a testament to her character. I closed my eyes, uncaring that I was unable to share in her slumber and let good feelings swamp me. We remained that way for over an hour, her still sleeping peacefully.

"Babe?" I heard Emmett whisper in an incredulous tone. I opened my eyes and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He looked stunned and just waved a hand at me then Leila in question. I smiled at his expression and spoke almost silently. "She was distressed and I laid down with her. She scooted over and hugged me."

Emmett's dimples appeared and he simply nodded. "Cool." He sat in the chair, seemingly content to sit in silence as I watched over the beautiful girl I now considered a most precious part of my life.

EMMETT POV

I sat in the chair that had been such a bone of contention just a few short weeks ago and marveled at my wife. I didn't have to be Jasper to see and feel the affection and contentment that rolled off of her so much that you could basically touch it. I had never seen her this way with another person before and I just stared like a stupid person. I knew from the minute I saw her that Leila was a special girl, but I never in a million years thought she would affect Rose this way.

With Renesmee she was living out a dream, so her affection and attention was no surprise. But with Leila now, it was a free will choice for Rosalie to love her like this. I smiled as I felt my chest tighten with the absolute adoration I had for my complicated wife. She was perfect, she was flawed, she was my whole world. And somehow I knew someday, something would happen to heal her completely.

I sat in silence, content to watch her as she watched over the pretty angel in her arms with a new perspective.


	21. Chapter 21

**LEILA POV**

I was so comfortable. I didn't remember my bed ever being so comfortable. It felt like I was sleeping on a puffy cloud which happened to smell so good. I was warm and happy and felt like I wanted to stay here forever. _Why had I woken up?_ I wanted to keep sleeping, staying in this happy place.

_'I want to remember my mother.'_ I didn't recognize the voice that suddenly whispered in my mind, but it was so sad it made me want to cry. The aching loss in that one unspoken wish made me want to comfort the person to whom the voice belonged. Recognition tugged at my mind, but I was still too relaxed and semi-conscious to the world for it to compute. Wanting to prolong my pleasurable slumber as long as possible, I sent good thoughts in their direction, hoping the sadness would lift.

_'Remember your mother, every good and happy thing. And keep the memories you see to comfort you.'_

I snuggled tighter into my pillows slightly bemused at their hardness, but loving their intoxicating perfume. After a few moments the sadness disappeared and I suddenly felt great peace. I sighed in contentment as I drifted back to sleep.

**ESME POV**

I was working on my flower beds and saw Jasper sit on the porch to read. Alice was 'picking up a few things' for Leila and as always, it left him at a loose end. As I pruned my roses, I saw his brow knit and realized he was in pain. _What was the matter? _My motherly instincts were instantly aroused and I needed to know what was wrong. _Was it merely a need to hunt or was it emotional?_ Before I could contemplate it more I felt an overwhelming sense of sadness.

I couldn't help myself and removed my gardening gloves as I stood. I looked at him silently for a moment and then moved forward slowly. Three steps towards him and I stopped suddenly. His eyes had widened in shock and he was gasping. It was almost a strangled sound, and I realized it was supposed to be happy. Though Jasper was looking in my direction, I knew he wasn't seeing me. His eyes were focused on something only he could see in his own mind.

Not wanting to interrupt whatever he was experiencing for fear it would be ruined, I stood anxiously, literally wringing my gardening gloves which shredded in my hands. I counted off the torturous seconds waiting for him to refocus and acknowledge me standing a dozen yards from him. Suddenly a huge, brilliant smile spread across his face, a smile so happy I was shocked to see it on Jasper. I had honestly never seen such a look on him before.

His eyes focused on me and he began to laugh joyously. I was so astounded, I was unable to do anything but gape. As I stood dumbfounded, a little black figure streaked past me to Jasper.

"Jasper, honey, what happened?" Alice's voice was high, as she held his face in her hands, searching it anxiously as if she thought he had finally cracked. He looked at her with wonder in his eyes and picked her up, squeezing her so tightly I was concerned.

"I saw her face! I remembered my mother!" Jasper told her with glee. He laughed again, his face almost glowing in his happiness. It was the first time in all of the years that I had known him that I had seen him this free and happy. There was not a trace of the tension and pain he usually carried.

I involuntarily stepped forward at his utterance, wanting more than anything to celebrate this with him, yet knowing I needed to give him and Alice their space and privacy. I couldn't just walk away though. I had to know what it was of his memory that had made him so happy.

"You remembered your mother?" Alice stated slowly as if she was unsure as to why he would react this way. Jasper smiled full force into her face.

"Yes, I remembered her. Not just a blurry vague image but full memories, with color and sound and light and happiness." He laughed in exultation, hugging Alice again. "I could almost feel her and smell her! It was so clear!" Alice looked at me from the corner of her eye with a bewildered look. It communicated her loss of comprehension at this strangely acting Jasper. She awkwardly patted his back.

"That's awesome." Her voice lacked her usual enthusiasm and he pulled back, aware of her hesitant reaction. His face went through an almost comical range of emotions as he looked first at Alice and then at me. I saw the moment he realized just how out of character his behavior was. He cleared his throat uncomfortably and his hands moved automatically from around Alice to their customary stance behind his back.

"My apologies," he said stiffly. "I didn't mean to surprise you." He nodded respectfully at me before spinning on his heel and heading swiftly into the house. Alice looked at me in distress before following after him.

"Jasper wait!" She called desperately. He didn't slow or stop and the last thing I saw before they rounded the bend to the stairs was her lithe form leaping onto his back.

I was worried that his feelings had been hurt, but I had enough confidence in his and Alice's relationship, that I knew they would not let such a thing divide them. I looked up to Leila's window wondering if she was somehow responsible for his memories. There was so much to that girl and I wanted to know it all. _What was she really?_ She wasn't just a vampire. She was made of greatness, something more awesome than just human or vampire.

I decided to just lay down on the grass where I stood, abandoning any tasks and give myself time to just think. About my family and all the things I loved about them. About the future and possibilities. And most importantly of all, I thought about how much, in spite of my love for all my children, I wanted to be alone with my husband.

**Leila POV**

I felt discord and sorrow interrupt the moment I awoke. I kept my eyes closed, great irritation and frustration my overwhelming feelings as I became aware. I had woken up on the wrong side of the bed as my dad says.

I knew immediately that I wouldn't be able to go to sleep again, so I turned over onto my stomach before sitting up and putting my feet to the floor. I opened my eyes, felt a split second of shock and found myself across the strange room I was in, crouched in the most bizarre stance. _Was I actually growling?_ I wondered in surprise as I saw absolute shock in the eyes of the most beautiful woman I had ever set eyes on.

I looked at her quizzically, positive that I knew her yet unable to remember just who she was. I bit my lip uncertainly. I didn't think she would hurt me, but who was she? I thought rapidly, the speed of my thoughts almost hurting my head. I was confused as to why I could think so many things so fast.

Rosalie. The name popped out of nowhere, I suddenly remembered everything. The room was no longer strange now that I was not expecting my old bedroom. I stood up and gave Rosalie a chagrined smile.

"Sorry, I couldn't figure out for a second where I was." Her answering smile was understanding and I felt relieved that she was not offended at my reaction. I went and sat on the edge of the bed, my bad feelings leaving me with a sour disposition.

Rosalie sat next to me and hesitantly reached out a hand before pulling back. "Sorry, I didn't think you wouldn't remember where you were. But then again, I don't think I really thought about how you would feel waking up. I've never seen a vampire sleep." Her last sentence held a kind of awe.

I nodded noncommittally. I didn't want to hurt Rosalie's feelings but I just felt so grouchy. Abruptly I stood up and was out of the room and down the stairs in a fraction of a second. Emmett looked up from the football game he was watching and smiled mischievously.

"How's it hangin' Sleeping Beauty?" I growled, narrowing my eyes at him. It wiped the smirk right off his face. Apparently he was remembering the last time he had messed with me. "Never mind. I can see you are not in the mood."

"Not in the mood for what?" A deceptively sweet voice asked from the stairs. Emmett looked up at the suddenly appeared Rosalie with a guilty expression. "Uh, I just said I could see Leila was not in the mood for joking." His response was like a quickly back-peddling boy.

Rosalie appraised him with a cool smile. "Good. It's time you learn when your foolery is not appreciated."

Emmett narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying I'm a fool?" She gasped dramatically with wide eyes, as if she were shocked that he would ever say such a thing.

"I would never say you are a fool." A sly look crept into her expression. "However if you're calling yourself that..." she left the sentence hanging.

I could tell from the vibes in the room that they actually enjoyed this kind of interaction. I rolled my eyes, not from amusement but with a WTF attitude. I didn't know why I was so grouchy, I just was. I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. I was starving.

I looked in at the offerings. There wasn't anything. I didn't know why I was surprised that there wasn't any food. This was a houseful of vampires. I guess I just thought that being rich and all, they'd have an abundance of everything. I slammed the door shut.

Faster than if I had been shot from a high powered rifle, I was out the door, across the lawn and deep into the woods before anyone had a chance to react. I didn't care if they were worried or mad. I was mad. I was mad that I felt so crappy, I was mad at the fucker that had made me into this, and most of all I was just really pissed off that there was no food when I was hungry.

In the midst of my boiling anger, I smelled a beast ahead and above me. Without any hesitation or real thought, I surged into the air, taking down the bobcat as I let gravity take me down. He was half drained by the time we hit the ground. This did not however, lessen my anger. I finished him too soon and hurled him away from me.

I stood snarling and realize with a new surge of irritation that I would have to bury the body myself. _Ughh._ I was probably getting spoiled as Jasper always took care of my trail of bodies.

I decided against digging a hole and just heaved a massive boulder and pushed the little wildcat under it. It made a gross squishy sound when I dropped the rock back down. _Eww._

The mundane chore of dealing with my leftovers had weirdly dissipated my anger, though I was still ravenous. Not thirsty hunger, but actual food hunger. _Huh. _Why would I want human food again after I ate a human? It was weird. Though I was no longer raging in an aggravated mood, I was still out of sorts.

I walked back towards the house, moving at a leisurely human pace thinking of what would be most delicious to eat. I figured I was about three miles from home when I smelled a deer. I really did not enjoy them when I was thirsty but a good idea came to me when I saw them.

I smiled slyly as I raced and pounced on the back of a young buck. "Sorry buddy, you're just dinner."

**Esme POV**

I felt a gust of wind whip past me and knew instinctively that it was one of my children, as I had not smelled any new scents as I lay in the sunshine with my eyes closed. _It's nice when everyone is getting along and there is no drama,_ I thought as I basked in the late morning sun. The sun was almost directly above me and I thought idly of going to Idaho to visit Carlisle. I could meet him at our house there for a little alone time.

As I contemplated the time it would take me to travel from here to there, I smelled the most atrocious smell, and a moment later a flurry of voices coming from my kitchen of all places. I cautiously sat up and looked around. _Was that a deer carcass on the right side of the house?_ _And why on earth was a portion of it flayed open? _

I approached the house with a hint of trepidation. What on earth was I going to find inside? The gagging smell assaulted me as I opened the door. It was a mixture of burning flesh and boiling blood. I cut off my breathing and crossed to the kitchen.

"What on earth?" My exclamation was almost involuntary and I stared wide eyed in shock, my expression mirrored on the faces of all my children, save one.

Leila.

Leila who was sitting on a bar stool at the island in the middle of the kitchen. And the most appalling thing was the barely seared, bloody steak she was poised to attack with a knife and fork.

I felt rather than saw all of us lean forward collectively as she sawed into the meat. When she raised it her lips I gasped. _She wasn't really going to do it was she?_

She did. Not only did she eat it, her eyes closed and she moaned as if it was the most delicious thing she had ever eaten.

"Ah man, that is disgusting. It's like Hannibal Lector." Her lovely eyes opened to look up at Emmett who just could not hold back his comment.

With a beatific smile she lifted a fork of meat to him. "It's actually very tender and yummy." He shuddered. She just smiled at him and shoved the forkful indelicately into her mouth.


	22. Chapter 22

Okay... I'm honestly not too happy with the way this chapter turned out but I rewrote it and rewrote it and this was the best of the set. I just needed a bridge chapter to the rest of the story which is already written. Hopefully it's not toooo horrid. And I'll be posting the next few chapters tonight and tomorrow. Thank you so much for reading my story this far... If you have a sec, reviews are always thrilling!

* * *

**Leila POV**

Everyone stared in horror as I finished my steak and I purposefully ignored them. I didn't see a big difference in _eating_ a deer versus drinking it. And it was delicious. I was curious now what a carnivore steak would taste like in comparison. I washed my plate when I was finished, wanting to leave Esme's kitchen neat. I rinsed out the pan I had used to cook it and swiped a sponge over the tiny spatters on the stove. Eight sets of eyes followed each movement and somehow I knew that Esme was thinking even now, how she would need to clean the kitchen. Some people just had OCD about certain things.

I turned to the door to deal with the deer carcass I had left by the side of the house. This time it was not Jasper who blocked my way but Esme.

"Honey, you need to stay with us until Carlisle gets home." Her voice was surprisingly firm – actually it was like a mom tone. _Huh._ I guess she _would_ deal with her kids when she wanted to. I smiled sweetly when I answered her, feeling strangely confrontational but not wanting to hurt Esme. She was such a good person.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to deal with the deer outside."

She snapped her fingers, "Emmett." Her one word command had an instant effect on him and he left immediately. She smiled back, steel in her eyes. Something about her look made me really angry and I started seeing things around me that my rational mind told me weren't there. "Emmett's dealing with it, so you can stay inside."

Suddenly the kitchen was no longer there. I was standing in my old house in a battle of wills with my mother. I realized there were other people around but all I could see was Iris - my mother. I scowled blackly at her. "I didn't do anything wrong. You can't ground me for _eating_! That is so unfair!"

"I am not grounding you, I just want you to stay inside with us until Carlisle gets home."

"You always pick on me! Lily does what ever she wants and you never do anything to her. I _eat_ and you _ground_ me! You're so mean and you treat me different than all the others. It's always 'Lisa you're this and Lisa you're that'... Like I spend my entire life being a horrible person!"

"Honey, I don't think you're a horrible person, I just want to make sure you're okay. It's not normal for you to want food, much less eat it. I don't want..."

I cut her off. "Oh, so now it's I'm 'not normal'? Are you _kidding_ me? I'm _your child _and you treat me like trash. Why do you HATE me?" I was screaming at her now and I could see she was shocked. _Really? She was shocked that I found her mean and unfair... Really?_ I stomped my foot and screamed in frustration, anger and hurt. "I'm going upstairs to wait for daddy." I whirled and ran up the stairs into my room. _Lily better not cross me today, cause I was in the mood to seriously kill someone.  
_

**Esme POV  
**

I stood looking after Leila's retreating back with my jaw literally hanging open in shock. I was somewhat confused but more so, shocked and a little hurt. A hand laid on my shoulder and I recognized it as Edward. He was my first son and I was closest to him in a lot of ways.

"She's in a full-fledged flashback Esme. Even though a part of her logical brain tries to make her recognize reality, the past is too strong. Her mother hurt her very badly. She doesn't see you as _you_, she only sees Iris – her mother – and unfortunately, as you were to one to challenge her, she placed the image on you."

"Oh," my reply was weak and I couldn't help the resentment I felt towards Leila's mother for the way she had treated her daughter. It made me out to be the bad guy every time she had these flashbacks. _What a bitch!_

Edward looked at me surprised and chuckled.

"What," I said defensively. "Do you really think that I haven't picked up some words from all of you in the decades we've been a family. I just don't _speak_ them." He merely smiled.

Emmett came in the back door and stopped, looking between all of us before asking, "What's Leila doing on the roof? Besides pacing like a pissed off tiger and muttering things that mom would try to wash my mouth out with soap for?"

Somehow his look combined with his statement struck Alice funny and she giggled. Jasper and Edward chuckled with her and I guessed they were envisioning me trying to wash out Emmett's mouth with soap.

_ I could do it,_ I thought and Edward pealed with laughter. Emmett's eyes narrowed. "What are _you_ laughing at?" he sneered at Edward.

"Esme thinks she could do it."

"Oh you could?" Emmett's smile towards me was falsely sweet. My answering smile was smug. "Yes, actually. You may be strong but I am not without my own power. Plus you would never hurt me, so therefore if I was determinedly trying, you would let me so as to not injure me."

He smiled before crossing and squeezing me in an affectionate bear hug. "Aw, you're right. If you _really_ tried I wouldn't do anything that could hurt you, so you'd probably win." He set me back and looked at me quizzically.

"But what's Leila doing on the roof?"

"She had a flashback right when you left and she went upstairs to wait for Carlisle." Edward answered for me. I looked at him worried. "Is she going to stay there or will she leave?" I asked anxiously.

He shook his head as he focused on her thoughts. Apparently, she didn't block her thoughts, or was not able to when she was having a flashback. "No she won't leave. Even though she is angry and thinks Iris is unfair and mean, she is very obedient. She will not leave the house until she is told she can. She rationalizes that the roof is still the house, so therefore she is not disobeying 'mother' to be up there."

He listened again and smiled. "She is watching for 'daddy'. Apparently she thinks he will side with her, and her 'unjust punishment' will be lifted."

"I'm not punishing her! I am just worried that something is very wrong. How many times have you seen a vampire want to eat!" My voice had raised an octave in my distress and I breathed in and out deeply to calm myself. Smoothing down the front of my dress I sighed. "I'm sorry, it is just very hard for me to know something is wrong and I cannot fix it."

Rosalie smiled nicely at me. "It's fine. Even with all that has happened in the last few years, we've never seen anything like Leila. I think it's safe to say we're all worried in different ways." I reached out and squeezed her had with affection and thanks. She really was getting to be so much nicer.

Edward reclaimed my attention when he spoke. "Making her come back inside will most likely make her even angrier. I'll listen to her thoughts to make sure she doesn't decide to leave. Alice will watch too. As soon as Carlisle comes home she will come down to see him."

I nodded in agreement even though I wanted nothing more than to bodily snatch her from the roof. I turned my attention to the kitchen. May as well take the time and clean so I could do something as I worried.

**Leila POV**

_ It was so unfair! All I did was eat some lunch and mother grounded me!_ I paced the roof watching for my dad. She had said I had to stay at the house with her. Well technically she said had to stay _in_ the house, but I figured _on_ the house counted too. I was fuming mad and I paced back and forth like a caged tiger. Idly I wondered at how steady my footing was. _Shouldn't I have already fallen?_ The roof was pretty steep and I was walking almost carelessly back and forth on the sloping side.

I listened for any sign of my dad getting close to home. I wanted to get to him first before _she_ told some ridiculous lie about me. She was such a _bad_ person! Sometimes I almost hated her, but there was that little spark of eternal hope that someday she would see that I really was a good daughter and love me just a teeny bit.

_I can't wait to surprise Esme. _The moment I heard the faint voice I flew off the roof into the trees in a desperate flight. If I didn't reach my dad first, I would be beyond enraged. I flung myself from tree to tree gaining distance with each consecutive jump. The moment I smelled him I dropped like a stone, landing on the ground the moment he ran into view. I saw his eyes widen as he stopped dead.

"Leila!" His voice was surprised and he cautiously stepped closer to me. I immediately launched into speech.

"Mom's being so mean! All I wanted was some lunch and there was nothing in the fridge so I went and caught a deer and made a steak and every one is acting like it is the grossest thing in the whole world and then mom got so mad when I went to bury the rest of the deer and _grounded_ me for eating! That's not fair! I was just hungry and she said I had to wait til you got home because it wasn't _normal_ that I would want to eat! She always picks on me. Lily does way worse stuff and she never gets in trouble and I don't have to do anything and she freaks out on me."

He just stared as I ran through my tirade and I heaved out a breath. "Why does she hate me?"

He put an arm around my shoulders and began walking in the direction of home. "Leila, _Esme_ LOVES you. I don't know much about your biological mother, but I do know that Esme loves and adores you above anything on earth." I looked at him strangely._ Esme?_ As I thought the name I suddenly realized where I was. I was not in Oregon talking to my dad about my mother Iris. I was in the woods in Washington, talking to Carlisle.

As I realized the severity of my flashback, I felt a cold lump of fear lodge in my throat. _What was wrong with me?_ This was so bad. I had really thought I was back home in the house. I thought of screaming at my mother and realized how hurt Esme must have felt when I said those things to her. I looked at Carlisle again.

"What's wrong with me?" The words were a mere whisper. I could barely force them past my lips as mortal fear gripped me.

He looked back at me kindly and hugged me comfortingly. "I don't know." His admission sounded as if he was admitting an embarrassing failure. "But I will do everything in my power to make sure you are safe and healthy."

I hugged him tightly around the waist, wishing everything would be alright _now_. I was scared that something really bad was going to happen and I didn't know what.

"Come Leila, we need to get home." He loosened my arms and took my hand as he began to run once again towards home. I followed mindlessly, trying in vain to think of nothing but the running in order to quench the fear which was now spreading like a wildfire through my whole being.

**Esme POV**

"They're almost here." Edward spoke quietly to us as we all sat together in the living room. We were waiting for Carlisle and Leila to arrive back home. Edward had informed us the moment Leila had jumped from the roof but as he had assured me she would only go as far as to meet Carlisle before returning home with him, we didn't give chase.

Jasper suddenly gasped and sat up, his eyes wide and his face pinched. "Jazz, what is it?" Alice asked urgently. His nostrils flared and he heaved out an unnecessary breath. "She is afraid, very afraid. Her fear is choking." He tested the emotional field around the house as Alice searched the immediate future and Edward listened extra carefully in case he had missed something.

I stood up anxiously as I heard Carlisle's footsteps on the front porch. The room was very tense as he walked in with Leila. I caught my breath when I saw her. Carlisle had one arm wrapped around her shoulders and she was almost boneless against him. Her face was so white it looked almost gray and it was lined with stress and fear; fear so great I could almost taste it. I couldn't stop myself and crossed instantly to her. "Leila! Oh honey!" I reached for her and she looked at me with sad eyes. Unlike earlier, the clouded, glazed look was gone, replace by recognition and abject apology.

I pulled her to me and hugged her fiercely. She literally melted against me and I felt a hiccuping sob shake her frame. "Don't be scared baby, I'm never going to let anything bad happen to you ever again." I ran a hand over her head and hugged her tightly as I promised her love and protection over and over. I didn't release my hold on her as Carlisle took us to the couch. I sat with her and she laid down, her face turned into me as she cried.

Edward and the others filled Carlisle in as I took on the impossible task of comforting my distraught young one. "I'm sorrrry." Her apology was barely audible through her quiet crying and I leaned down to look in her teary eyes. It gave me a split second pause to see actual tears in her eyes clinging to her lashes. The many remarkable things about her made me both marvel and worry tremendously.

"It's okay honey, I know you didn't mean any of it towards me." She shook her platinum head in my lap and her lip quivered before she bit it. "I didn't, but I thought you were _her_ and I could stop remembering again and then when I went to see dad, I remembered where I was afterward and then I was scared because something is so wrong with me."

I could do nothing but let her cry it out. I stroked her head and rubbed her back as I listened to the conversation going on with the rest of the family. After what seemed to be an eternity I realized her crying had stopped and I looked down. She was totally relaxed with her eyes closed. Her breathing was deep and even. _Was she sleeping again?_ Renesmee suddenly appeared and looked at me with a twinkle in her eyes. "She sleeps more than me!"

I smiled at her and watched as she laid a hand on Leila's shoulder. Suddenly I was seeing thoughts as if Renesmee was showing them to me but she wasn't even touching me. I looked through the projected thoughts at Renesmee who looked even more surprised than me; if that were even possible. Edward was next to us with Renesmee in his arms before I could even think another thought.

He was actually a bit upset as he looked silently between myself, Renesmee and Leila. "Carlisle," he spoke softly to my husband who was now beside him. "I think you should do what you were considering this morning."


	23. Chapter 23

Okay folks, here we are. Chapter 23. I have one teensy tiny request. My goal was to get 100 reviews by the time I posted Chapter 24. So I usually don't whine about reviews, but I would be so totally psyched if I got it. We're at 78 now so not too many to go... Even if you thought it sucked still review! :) Oh, and Chapter 24 is done, I'm just waiting a little to post it. :D

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**Esme POV**

"What are you considering?" I asked Carlisle.

"I had thought to go down to Oregon and see if there was anything medically different with Leila as a human. Her father is a Doctor, I may be able to talk to him about her in a roundabout way."

Edward interjected. "You should approach him as you first thought; tell him you have a patient and you haven't been able to figure out what is wrong with them and ask him to help, he will most probably be willing."

"You are going to Oregon?" I asked a little upset. _He had just gotten home and now he was leaving?_ Carlisle looked at me nodding absently as he thought.

"Yes, I think there must be something that has carried over from her human life that is making her so different. If I could talk to her father I may be able to find out what exactly we are dealing with."

"Esme, you should go with Carlisle. I will take care of Leila and I'm sure everyone else will too." I looked at Jasper and realized he was feeling my inner turmoil. I smiled gratefully at him but felt torn. _Should I really leave Leila?_ She did like Jasper a lot and Rosalie seemed to be forming a bond with her. I knew I could trust all of my children to take care of Leila, I just didn't want her to feel as if I was abandoning her.

Carlisle smiled at me. "It would be very nice to have you come with me." That took the decision from my hands. I couldn't refuse him when he smiled like that and I did so want to spend some time with him. I looked down at the sleeping angel in my lap. _She would be okay_... I hoped.

"You need to leave within the hour to meet Dr. Jameson at a good time." Alice spoke up. Obviously she had been searching the immediate future and had seen the best time to go the moment the decision had been made.

Carlisle looked to Jasper. "Jasper are you sure Esme can leave Leila?" Jasper smiled and nodded. "Of course. She will be fine with us. Esme should definitely go with you."

I stood, lifting Leila into my arms and brought her up to bed. She turned over and hugged her pillow. Realizing she wasn't going to wake up I sat beside her and told her what was going to happen next. Maybe it would register in her sub-conscious mind.

**Leila POV**

I sat up with a start and realized I had been sleeping again. I was in my bed with no memory of getting there. For once there was no one in the room with me. I ran downstairs and saw Emmett and Rosalie sitting on the sofa. I looked in the kitchen and there was no Esme. Footsteps on the steps behind me had me turning and I saw Jasper and Alice descending at a slow rate holding hands.

"Hi Leila." Alice's voice was sweet, chipper as if she was really happy. I smiled uncertainly at her.

"Where's Esme?"

"Carlisle and Esme went down to Oregon to research your human life." Alice spoke in response. "But don't worry, they'll be back as soon as they can."

"They went to Oregon?" My eyes were wide and I reached out and gripped Jasper's arm. "They're going to see my family and they didn't take me?"

"Leila, it would be neither safe or beneficial to you and your family for you to see them again. Carlisle needs to find out what is different about you so we can make sure you continue to be safe and healthy. As Alice said, don't worry. We'll take care of you while Esme is gone and she will be home soon."

I looked at him skeptically. "Why didn't they tell me they were going?"

"She did tell you, but you were sleeping. They needed to go right then so Esme told you while you were sleeping." It was Rosalie who spoke and I crossed the room and sat next to her, feeling a sense of comfort and love from her. I quietly sat and thought, whispers of memory tugging at my mind til they formed a cohesive memory.

_Leila, Carlisle and I are going to Oregon to find out anything from your human life which could help us know what it is that makes you different. We don't think you are strange or not normal. We just love you and want to make sure we take the best care of you that is within our power._

_I'll be home as soon as possible. Please don't think I'm abandoning you. I love you more than anything. Jasper has promised to take care of you and of course the others will of course make sure that you are happy and fed and cared for. Call us if you need anything or want to talk. Alice has Carlisle's cell phone number. I love you and I'll miss you even if we're only gone a short time._

I felt better knowing that Esme was sensitive and loving enough to reassure me even though she wasn't sure if I could even hear her. I smiled with contentment. I _was_ curious if there was something different with me when I was still human. Maybe Carlisle and Esme would be able to help me be normal when they came home.

**Edward POV**

Carlisle and Esme had been gone for two days. Carlisle had called once to give us an update on his findings. Unfortunately, the first day he was unable to meet with Razul Jameson. Esme had called at least twelve times to make sure Leila was okay. Even Leila had rolled her eyes the last two times Esme had asked to speak to her. But she had kindly said, "Yes Esme, I'm fine Esme, Everyone is making sure I'm happy Esme."

Leila and Renesmee were currently outside with a swing Jasper and Emmett had helped them build. Even for vampires it looked potentially dangerous, but from the shrieks and giggles, they were clearly having a great time.

All of the 'adults' were in the living room conversing quietly as they played outside. The current topic was each and every weird instance or observation that had happened since the moment we first met Leila.

"I keep seeing that same scene from before we met her. The way that vampire was beheaded and then disintegrated in the weird red shimmer. Somehow it feels like she was part of it, but she hadn't even been turned yet." Alice's words were colored with her frustration at not being able to see everything.

"I haven't even glimpsed anything in her mind that would even hint that she was involved in any sort of vampire killing. She keeps me out of her mind a lot, but I have seen flashes of almost everything she has experience so far. She is either a lot stronger than we realized or she had nothing to do with your vision." I added my thoughts to the conversation.

Alice huffed. "I wish I could re-see my visions."

**Leila POV  
**

I was playing outside with Renesmee on the most colossally awesome swing system that Jasper and Emmett had built for us when I heard a tinkling wish. 'I wish I could re-see my visions.' I recognized Alice's voice by now, and I mindlessly answered her wish. Not even a full minute later I would regret my hasty gifting.

"_She_ killed him!" I heard the furtive whisper as clearly as if I had been standing next to Alice. It was a punch in the gut. I didn't expect how awful hearing them know the truth would make me feel. Now they _knew_ I was a killer. I hung my head for a moment as I struggled inside to accept that now I would have to leave.

"Leila, come swing again," Renesmee called from the cabled death trap she was hanging upside down from. I nodded absently and waved her to be quiet. She didn't seem to really care and flung herself to a tree to launch the swing again. I listened to the conversation in the house. It made my stomach hurt.

I had begun to hope just a little bit that maybe there was a way I could be part of them forever – that I wouldn't have to always be alone, wandering aimlessly as I looked for somewhere and somehow to live.

_Stupid idiot_, I said silently.

Maybe Jasper had been a general of sorts in that crazy Mexican lady's army. Maybe he had killed hundreds of newborn vampires.

So okay, most of them had fed on a human at least once or twice. But somehow I seriously doubted that now with a little child to protect, not to mention human family members; they would want me – a violently strong, completely unpredictable vampire – to be around.

I leaped into my bedroom and went into the massive closet that I hadn't even had a chance to utilize fully and pulled out my duffel bag. It took me hardly more than a minute to locate and pack every item I had come with.

I would not take anything that Alice had provided, but I still needed some clothing. I looked around the beautiful bedroom I loved so much and sighed silently.

I thought of the different members of the Cullen family.

Emmett, who always took life so lightly and made the biggest effort besides Esme to make me happy; Rosalie – I didn't really know her all that well, I had only talked to her a handful of times.

Alice who was bouncy and cheerful unless one of her visions was something she didn't understand, see clearly or like. Jasper – who was still scary, but a good man underneath it all. He was the big brother I had always imagined in my pretend perfect family. I really loved him so much.

Edward – I wasn't too sure about him. I knew for a fact I _really_ didn't like his particular gift. Bella was pretty and sweet the few times I had interacted with her. She seemed to me to be the type of person I would like though once I really got to know her.

I thought of Carlisle, with his excellent bedside manner and instinctive fatherly traits. He was a good enough reason in and of himself to be eager to join up with this family.

But I felt the most sad when I thought of Esme. She was the most amazing person I had ever met. She was warm and loving and treated everyone as if they were the most special in the world. She loved with great intensity and you could not help but be drawn to her. I would miss her the most I thought with un-shed tears fogging my mind.

I couldn't just go without leaving something for her. It would be so wrong after all she had done. I quickly found a paper and pen. I heard the voices continue from downstairs, but I didn't pay attention closely, not wanting to hear their words in reaction to Alice's information.

I wrote quickly, a little surprised at how beautiful my handwriting was despite my current state of agitation.

_Dear Esme,_

_I didn't want to just disappear without thanking you for your tremendous hospitality and love. You showed me that it is possible to find a real mother. And every time I think of a mother it will be your face I see._

_I will never forget you; you're such an amazing person. I hope to one day meet you again, but I realized I am not such a desirable acquaintance. _

_Please let the rest of your family know that I thank them also for their kindness. I will never forget any of you and I will miss you so bad until the day that I die._

_ Sincerely, Leila Jameson_

_P.S. Sorry again for making your boys trash your living room. I feel really bad._

I folded the note in thirds and left it on the bed with _ESME CULLEN_ written clearly across the front.

Very briefly I tuned into the current conversation downstairs.

"If she killed a vampire after first changing and not a human, there must have been a hell of a reason for her to do so. I mean, how she could even think of anything but feeding is unreal." This came from Emmett who sounded just slightly awed that I had accomplished such a feat.

I smiled wryly. I would actually miss him a lot. I had been looking forward to going a few more rounds with him, as he seemed able to match my strength more than the rest.

Edward spoke seriously. "That wasn't _just a vampire_ Emmett. He was an ancient. I don't know his name but I have seen a painting of him somewhere and he is very old and _very_ powerful… Or he _was_. How she could kill him as easily as Alice saw is enough reason to be both extremely cautious and find out just what she is."

'_Definitely time for me to go_.' I swung my duffel bag over my shoulder and hopped through the open window landing silently as possible on the ground below. Renesmee laughed as she swung across the lawn mere feet from me. Before she had a chance to realize what I was doing, I darted to the tree line, taking care to keep out of sight of the living room as much as possible.

I ran east, not knowing why but deciding that was the best way to go. After almost a full hour I turned southwest. Something was pulling me toward my old home.

As I neared the city limits awhile later, I slowed to a walk. It felt weird to be back here; recognizing so many places I passed. Memories of a childhood that seemed so recent; flooded me as I passed things that I had known for years.

Three blocks from my house I turned into Jayson Morris Family Park. The gates were locked yet that did not prove an obstacle for me. I merely vaulted over the eight-foot spike-topped iron fence.

The park had been built and was maintained by Arthur Morris, a wealthy philanthropist, who had named the park for his son Jayson. My brother Max had known him when they were little kids.

Jayson had been killed when they were seven by a car that had careened into the playground when they were playing. It was one of those freak accidents that no one could have foreseen.

Besides this huge park, there were three others around town. Arthur believed that it was necessary to have safe places for children to play; hence the two-foot thick stonewalls that surrounded the parks, broken only by the iron gates that dotted the circumference. Two security guards were provided during park hours to make sure kids and parents alike were safe.

I headed quickly to the left side of the park where there was a row of elevated playhouses. In the one that Kara and I had ruled when we were little, I stashed my duffel bag.

I pulled out my empty backpack from the top and vaulted out of the house and over the wall in one movement. It took mere seconds to be at the back of my house.

I scaled the rear wall and peered into my bedroom. A small light glowed on the desk, though I could have seen clearly enough without it. A trickle of weird went down my spine and I stared disbelievingly at the sight I was seeing.

_Nothing_ in the room had been moved or touched since I had been gone. Not one single thing. A plate with crumbs from a sandwich I had fixed in the middle of the night still sat on top of my clothes hamper. My computer sat glowing, the source of the light. The slide-show of pictures I had put up with Kara and Lauren played on and on. Obviously, someone had switched the computer from power saving mode to constant lighting.

My bed still had the same sheets and covers yanked up in my parody of a made bed. I actually remembered doing it the last morning I had woken in that bed. I wasn't a very messy person, so the floor was free of clutter and everything for the most part was in its place.

I tested the window. _Unlocked,_ I realized in surprise. I would have thought after my being abducted and murdered, they would have locked, maybe even screwed, all the windows shut.

I eased the sash up to make sure it didn't screech.

All quiet.

I launched myself silently through the window and closed it quickly so as not to bring a draft in.

Though I knew every corner of this room and it's contents, there was still a small thrill of discovery as I prowled around looking at everything. Through new sharp eyes, things took on more color and distinction. I heard a quiet thud and then the sound of bare footsteps. I listened for a split second. It came from the direction of Lily's room. She must be going to the bathroom.

A minute later I heard a toilet flush and water run for a full twenty seconds. I grinned with old affection. Lily was still just as anal retentive as ever about hand washing. I could make out her footsteps as she walked back and climbed into bed.

I realized it wouldn't be wise to linger too long while the family was all home. I opened my closet door and unzipped my backpack. Very quickly I rummaged through the shelves, floor and closet pole as I sorted the most precious things I couldn't bear to leave behind.

I couldn't take too much I knew, for it would be noticed. Luckily most of my personal treasures were either of no significance to others, or were completely unknown.

In three or four minutes I had combed every portion of my room and my bag was now full. I had taken all important information and photos, stories, etc from my computer and copied them onto my thumb drives.

There was only one last thing to do.


	24. Chapter 24

Okay people! This is the second to last chapter in book one. Thank you for reading so far and for those of you who review... You make me happy and keep me writing. Now this chapter goes into places I have not previously taken you. Tell me your thoughts... It might be a little far out for some of you but I promise it stays behind the weird factor of the Jacob/Renesmee pairing and WAY behind the far fetched-ness of True Blood and the likes. Hope to hear some feedback! :-)

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**LEILA POV**

For my twelfth birthday, my Grandmother Leila's husband, Sheik Ramad Al Hafiz, had given me a carved wooden box.

I had been visiting them in their huge San Francisco mansion for a week. My grandmother had gone to a charity meeting and Grandfather Ramad had taken me into his study. After taking a box from his safe, he had smiled conspiratorially.

"You Little Leila are my greatest treasure." His heavily accented voice had fascinated me. There was something about him that had always drawn me to him.

"I love the others of course, every child is a gift. But you… You are my favorite." He smiled widely anticipating my response to his gift as he placed the box on my lap.

It looked like teak with hammered gold accents, which I was sure were real. It was about the size of a laptop computer but six or seven inches deep. And it was _heavy_.

"Now, before you open this, I must tell you. This is not something for you to have now. Do not worry. We have many gifts for your party." He paused as he sometimes did when searching for the right English words.

"You can speak in Arabic, my mother is in Oregon." He looked slightly bemused as if hearing his native language from my tongue was confusing. Then he laughed.

"You are right of course." He nodded and paced in front of me. "You may open it now." I turned the gold key in the lock and opened the lid. My eyes grew wide and my mouth dropped open with a silent gasp. I couldn't breathe for a moment. When I caught my breath I looked first to him and then back down at the contents of the box.

Hundreds of diamonds glittered and winked at me from the light streaming through the windows. Gold and platinum, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and a dozen other gems I couldn't name lay tangled together in a fantastical display of beauty and wealth.

"Oh my goodness," I breathed. I looked at him with my eyes bugging out of my head. "You can't give these to me! I'm only twelve!"

He grinned at me, his gaze twinkling with delight over my stupefaction.

"Of course I can give them to you. They are mine, are they not? And anyway, I told you. They are not for now."

He picked up a flat gold piece that looked to be a bracelet. It was a full inch wide made of intricately twined gold ribbons. Emeralds dotted the surface irregularly and I had looked closer, noting that they were shaped like leaves, set into the braided vines.

His voice was smooth now, the Arabic flowing from his tongue like calm water rather than the choppy current of English.

"Someday you will need this. I do not know when, but I know that someday you will be in need and you will have this and I will know that I have taken care of you."

He had then removed the tray that the jewelry was scattered in and I gasped again. Underneath were neat stacks of bundled hundred dollar bills.

"There is six hundred and sixty six thousand dollars." He grinned mischievously. "I don't know why I picked that amount, but it seemed fitting."

I had looked at him slightly confused. "Why am I going to need tons of money and a whole bunch of fancy jewelry?"

"You may be sixteen and need the money. You may be sixty-five and need the money. Someday, sometime you will need the money. The jewelry?" He shrugged putting his hands palms up. "That I give more because I wanted to. Lift the cash," he instructed. I removed the bundles of green paper and almost choked. He laughed in delight.

"There is ten pounds of gold in case paper money should be rendered useless. That should give you several million dollars when you need it."

I smiled now as I dwelt on the memory. It had been a wonderful visit. We had agreed that it would be wiser to leave the box with him until I was older and could store it safely and secretly.

I had promised I would tell no one of it and had stuck to that promise with the zeal of a religious fanatic.

I went over to my closet now and in the furthest left hand corner, peeled up the carpeting. There was no resistance, the tacks popped out of the wood flooring as if they had never been pounded in. I had made a secret hidey-hole there when I was fourteen. I had done a pretty good job too I realized now. Making the cuts very straight and the lid to fit exactly right.

I removed it now and pulled out the box. I took the key from around my neck and opened it. The jewels were all in velvet pouches now. The artful tangle of that initial sighting had been Ramad's craftiness.

I lifted the tray and saw that all the money along with the envelope I had added, was there intact. The ten gold bars lay in their two rows at the very bottom. The envelope held a family portrait and a few photographs of Ramad and Leila plus the Arab side of the family.

I relocked the box setting it aside and replaced the square of wood into the floor and tacked the carpet down, a simple press of my finger as effective as a driving hammer. I left the closet exactly as it was before I had entered; the box tucked under one arm and my backpack securely on my shoulders.

At the window I paused, my eyes sweeping the room carefully once more to ensure I had left no trace of myself. Saying goodbye to my home and family for the last time I let go of the window and fell.

* * *

Now that there was nothing left for me in my hometown, I thought of where I should go next. Every fiber of my being wanted to run back to the Cullens, but I couldn't face the prospect of them asking me to leave. As I thought, I returned to the park and retrieved my duffel bag. After combining all of my belongings, I walked down Lupine Lane.

The street was a pretty walk in the day, lots of little shops and an old fashion feel that went with the antique stores, ice cream & fudge shops and little boutiques. It had been my favorite place to go my whole life and I took my time looking into the windows of all my favorite stores. Near the end of the road was Aurora's Emporium. I spend so many hours of my life there since I had first seen her when I was six. Something about her made me feel happy and I always wanted to be near her.

"Leila!" I was unprepared for the voice that whispered loudly from the dark. I knew the voice, I just didn't realize that they were near. I approached cautiously and a dark slender arm reached out to pull me into the shadows. I stared at the wise face I had missed so badly.

"Aurora! How did you recognize me?" I threw my arms around her and remembered at the last second not to squeeze too hard. She smiled and put me away from her to look at me. "How would I not recognize you? You are just how you were destined to be. I have been waiting for you to come back. Come with me now. We don't have long and there are many things I need to explain."

I mutely followed her into the back of her store and down the stairs into the basement. It was fully furnished, clean and warm, with a secret passageway out that I was pretty sure not many people knew existed. "What do you mean I am just how I was destined to be?" I chewed my bottom lip. _Was Aurora a vampire?_ No. I would smell it if she was. _Right?_ She smelled human but much more faintly than others. _Huh. I wonder how she was different._

She pushed me gently into my favorite chair. It was a big plush leather chair that looked so out of place in her gypsy decor it amused me every time. But it was just oh-so-comfortable.

"I know that you must be confused but like I said we do not have much time. So I need you to just listen carefully to what I have to tell you and then after I will answer questions." She looked at me expectantly and I nodded in understanding. "Okay. Yes," I agreed and pulled my feet under me in habit form.

"I know what you are. From the time you were four years old it was your destiny. Do you remember when I moved into town? You were the first person to talk to me when you walked past my store with your babysitter. When your destiny was set I was sent here to watch over you."

"You see, many do not know this, for those who are evil would war against it, but there _is_ good and evil in the vampire world. Vampires do have souls of a sort. They are just altered from humans."

"Without going into the entire history from the beginning of time, there is a guardianship of vampire souls. There are different levels to it. There are immortals, the Farzhaq and there are the Zamim. A Zamim is both Farzhaq and human. I am first generation Zamim. My mother was human and my father was Farzhaq. Only first generation Zamim can become watchers; some never know they are anything more than human."

"I was given the privilege of being your watcher when your father, a Farzhaq, choose the dark path and willing submitted to being turned into a vampire. When a Farzhaq chooses this, not only are they a vampire but their soul becomes black and void. They are the most evil of evils. Even the Devil would shudder to meet them."

Her hands shook as she sipped water and I stared at her transfixed. _She must be joking. Right?_ I mean, this was crazier than fiction.

"At the moment your father became a dark one, your destiny was sealed. You see, when a Farzhaq has a child, if he should choose to become a vampire, the headship seals the destiny of their offspring to become a vampire in turn. The child is the only being with enough strength to kill them."

At my horrified look she smiled with understanding. "Leila, I understand this sounds completely barbaric but you must understand the absolute chaos and destruction that would infect the earth if they were allowed to remain free to destroy everything in their path. There has only ever been one Farzhaq that turned that was never brought to justice. He killed his own sons before they could become vampires. He had been a leader in the headship and knew both the law and the way to avoid it."

"But you Leila, there is more to you than all the rest. Prophecy was spoken about you from the time of your mother's birth. You are not a mere Zamim like me. You are almost pure Farzhaq. Your mother was born to a human father and Farzhaq mother. She was only the third born such in all of time. She was hidden with her parents and raised carefully. It was said that her offspring would be one half of the two who would bring change and justice to the world of the ancients."

"The only thing was that your mother was never told these things. It would have been far too dangerous. When Lily was born it was discovered that she was not the prophesied child. So Keiran - your biological father - went to your mother. He was the mate chosen by the counsel for your mother but her mother had refused to put her daughter into an arranged union in a world she knew nothing about. Your mother had fallen in love with Razul and had married him never knowing the furor it was causing in another society."

"Keiran has a great talent for persuasion and seduction. It was really not your mother's fault that she was unable to resist him. But as she has never known the truth, well honestly... it was the most painful thing for her to have to see you every single day; the stark reminder of how she betrayed the love of her life."

I stared at Aurora my mind going a mile a minute. In a flash I understood my mother. Knowing the talents of immortals as I did now, I understood how she must have felt after she had betrayed my dad. Then to have to see me everyday, it must have been unbearable. Though the hurt would never be totally erased, the tight fist in my chest eased a little as I thought of her now.

"Your biological father, Keiran, never saw you. When he asked your mother if she had become pregnant, she lied to him. You see, Iris had many gifts also. She is, to this day unaware of most of them. Her greatest gift is the ability to lie with such persuasion one is unable to doubt her at all. So Keiran never knew that you had been born."

"And in light of the way things turned out with him, that was definitely for the best."

"You are the most talented of any Farzhaq or Zamim. The prophesy did not even begin to cover all the ways that you are gifted. I knew from the first instant that I touched your hand, you were so much more powerful than any had anticipated. Most Farzhaq have one ability which is used in their vocation. But as your father is Farzhaq and your mother first generation Zamim, you seemed to have inherited a portion of their gifts and have a vague assortment of different abilities belonging to you specifically. I don't possess the power of discernment, but I knew you would be so powerful as a vampire."

"I was of course, told many details of the ones who would be a significant part of your life. Since your change I have been given more information and this is what I know of your gifts."

"As your mother has a small measure, you are an evaser. Well, I know that is not really a word, I kind of made it up; but you have a great ability to evade. Evade mentally, emotionally, physically and to also convince people of what you want. You are not a great manipulator as some who have only that gift, but you will be quite persuasive when you want."

"You are also a collector. You will collect the gift and ability of any vampire or human you kill. This has already been utilized when you destroyed the vampire who turned you. He was Ghalib, a very powerful ancient vampire. He was an interceptor. Any gifted human or vampire he came near, he intercepted their gifts and was able to use them. The gifts he was near for a long period of time, he was not only able to intercept, but also keep the gift as his own."

"When you destroyed him, you absorbed not only his ability, but every gift he retained. I do not have knowledge of all he was able to do. He lived for thousands of years, but as you live now you will discover new things as you go. As you were nearly pure Farzhaq, you have the ability to comfort. You will be able to bring peace and comfort to those you love or care about. I am sure you will become so much greater over time. You have always been amazing."

"Truthfully, I was afraid that I was inadequate to be your watcher but I loved you immediately and I could not imagine being separated after that first moment with you."

"Every step for those in your life was put in place from the moment of your mother's birth. The only thing left out was the decision of your destiny. It was only after Keiran made the choice that your fate was sealed, so to speak."

"Tell me, how do you get along with the Cullen's."

I looked at her stupefied. "How do you know about them?"

Her smile was humorous and a little condescending. "Do you think as your watcher for the last twelve years and knowing everything I knew before I even came here, I would let you go off into the sunset and not even be aware of those who will be your family for eternity." She shook her head reprovingly. "Come now Leila; you should know me a little better. Now, here is what you need to know."

"When you killed Ghalib you angered Keiran greatly. Ghalib is the one I told you killed his sons before they could be turned to destroy him. Ghalib was Keiran's mentor and creator. Now Keiran hunts you with a vengeance. The guardian counsel was surprised that you were able to decimate Ghalib with such ease. They are very much pleased with you. Unfortunately it was not wished for you to meet the Cullen's until Keiran was gone. Now they are going to get in the middle of a very ugly fight and it will not turn out well if he gets to them and you are not there."

"Unlike most vampires, you will not lose your strength as you outgrow your newborn stage. You will always be as strong as you are now and may even continue to grow in strength. So you must return to your family and protect them from evil. Your uncle is a very good man and he will be a wonderful father to you."

I looked at her in confusion. "My uncle?"

She smiled mischievously. "Oh, did I forget to mention that. Carlisle Cullen was a Zamim before he was turned. His mother was Farzhaq before she fell in love with his father. His father was actually a decent man before his wife died. He literally went mad when his beloved Dahlia died. Before Dahlia married him, she had a Farzhaq son who was a grown man when she met Carlisle's father. The danger of a Farzhaq giving up immortality to become human is it makes them very fragile. She died much before her time. Had she lived longer Carlisle's life would have turned out much different. Of course his destiny was set because he was needed for many things. Some have already come to pass and some are still to come."

"So you're saying that my biological father is four hundred years old and he is my new adoptive father's older brother, that Carlisle has no idea even exists?" I struggled to wrap my mind around this. _It was too surreal. This wasn't real. Things like this didn't even exist! Did they?_ I was so confused. My mind was whirling, trying to grasp that this could even be possible.

Aurora smiled ruefully. "When you put it that way it does sound completely bizarre, but yes. That's the truth. Keiran knows he had a brother named Carlisle. He hasn't seen him since Carlisle was three years old but he is aware that he was changed as an adult. I am not sure though if he will recognize him now."

She stood now and extended her hand to me. "You must go home to the Cullens now. They will desperately need you when Keiran arrives. He _will_ come, _when_ he does is the question." She hugged me tight for a full minute and then set me back to look at me again. "I may never see you again, that is the most painful thing I can imagine but I know you will be happy and loved."

She walked with me to the hidden exit and paused a moment. "Good bye lovely Leila. Do one thing for me. When you head back north, stop at your house for just a moment." I had query in my eyes but silently decided to follow her instruction. Looking at the dark gypsy who had given me so much love and joy in my childhood, I realized that it might be the last time I ever see her. I smiled sadly but determined then and there that I would find a way to see her again. With one last wave good bye, I shot through the tunnel and into the night.


	25. Chapter 25

**_Hey people! Firstly thank you for reading my story this far. I hope you have enjoyed it. Secondly, I am almost to the end of Book 1! YAY! I love reviews and feed back. I'm always looking for constructive criticism to increase my writing, so feel free to let me know honestly what you think! Just, please, please review if you have 30 seconds._**

ALSO. I NEED IDEAS FOR THE TITLE OF BOOK TWO. IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, EITHER LEAVE YOUR VOTE IN A REVIEW OR PRIVATE MESSAGE ME! THANK YOU!

**_ESME POV_**

_ Carlisle and I had been in Oregon for two days when we got the call. At the time, Carlisle was meeting with Dr. Razul Jameson, having finally secured an appointment with the busy specialist. I was in my happy place, shopping for home décor at a little specialty store I had been itching to visit. I was finally relaxing a little, having called home over a dozen times to make sure Leila was okay. Each time she had humored me answering all my questions in a laughing tone. _

_ Satisfied that she was safe and happy, I was sorting through a big rack of wrought iron wall hangings and I almost ignored my phone when it rang. Tucking a particularly intricate piece under my arm, I dug out my cellphone. _Jasper._ Huh. I wonder what he wants?_

_ Making my way towards the register, I answered. "Hello, son." I tried to take as many opportunities as possible to reinforce Jasper's place in my family. I placed my purchase on the counter before withdrawing cash from my wallet. _

_ "She's gone." He replied in a monotone voice. I was nearly amazed at the speed the sales girl enfolded the iron decoration in paper and placed it into a bag._

_ "Who's gone?" I asked nonchalantly. I was preoccupied with thinking of my redecorating scheme for the foyer. "Eighty-seven sixty-five," the brunette teenager informed me._

_ "Leila. She's gone." I froze, staring at the fan of cash in my hand. My reaction or lack there of, was only momentary before I moved so as not to alarm the girl at the service counter. I quickly passed her five bills._

_ Snatching up the bag which held my find, I smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. I have to rush. Keep the change." I exited the store at an excruciatingly slow pace. I was ready to scream and barely held onto my composure until I was ensconced in Carlisle's shiny Mercedes._

_ "What do you mean she's gone?" I said furiously to Jasper. _

_ "Just that. She's gone. She was outside with Renesmee and a minute later she was gone."_

_ I heaved an incredulous breath as I swerved into traffic and drive unusually fast towards the hospital Carlisle was at._

_ "You're telling me that with six full grown adults, who I might mention have super natural hearing and enhanced gifts, she just disappeared without any of you noticing _anything_?" My voice was harsh even to my ears, but I was on the verge of serious panic._

_ I felt more than heard Jasper's sigh. "Esme, we're following her trail and Alice is watching her future."_

_ I laughed humorlessly. "That will most likely be fruitless, as she can thwart at will." I grimaced at the words, realizing that some of little Leila's gifts could turn into curses at the wrong time. "I'm getting Carlisle now. Please look for her Jasper." The last was said in a pleading voice. I hoped that Jasper didn't take my previous harsh words personally._

_ "Of course Esme. I already am." I knew he was too. More than anyone I had seen him with, Jasper loved Leila. Not in the way he loved Alice, but he had a connection with her that seemed to take away some of his emotional trauma more and more._

_ I hung up the phone as I turned into the hospital car park. I locked the car remotely as I hurried towards the annex that housed Leila's father's offices. The receptionist behind the circular desk looked up with a pleasant smile which fell from her face as her jaw dropped open. I smiled kindly._

_ "Hello, I'm looking for my husband. Dr. Cullen." She stared mutely for a few more seconds before she seemed to remember where she was. Shaking her head, she smiled halfheartedly at me._

_ "Yes, he's with Dr. Jameson." She pointed to the left. "Second door on the right." I nodded. "Thank you..." I looked at her name plate. "Sierra." I hurried down the hall, and could have cried in relief when a door opened and Carlisle emerged from it. He paused in the hallway, looking towards the dark man who was exiting after him. I was momentarily struck with how handsome he was. Smiling at my husband with a brilliant white smile, I instantly knew why Leila loved this man so completely. There was something about his mere presence that spoke of his excellent character._

_ Worried out of my mind for Leila, I felt a pang of regret that we would not be able to spend at least a short amount of time getting to know him. I wished so badly I could reassure him that his daughter would be cared for and loved for the rest of time. That is if we could find her._

_ "Ah, Esme!" Carlisle called when he spotted me. In truth I knew that he had known I was there long before, but there was always appearances to keep up. Turning back to Dr. Jameson he introduced us. "Razul, this is my wife Esme. Esme, this is Dr. Jameson." _

_ I smiled pleasantly. "Hello, it's so nice to meet you." _

_ His eyes crinkled as he smiled back. I reached out to take his extended hand. The moment he shook my hand he looked down at it and then back up to me with startled eyes. Not sure if he was reacting to my cold hand or something else all together, I removed my hand from his and looked to Carlisle. I hoped he could see the urgency in my eyes as I wanted nothing more than to get home as quickly as possible. Apparently he was as in tune with me as I was with him._

_ "I appreciate you taking the time to consult on my case," Carlisle spoke in his smooth, cultivated voice. He shook Razul's hand in farewell. "We must be getting on the road. We have a good drive to get home, and we wouldn't want to leave our children for too long." The dashing Arab doctor smiled that dazzling smile again. _

_ "Ah, yes. I know just how children can be. My daughter is quite the mischievous girl." His face was instantly sorrow filled as he realized what he said. "Was..." he murmured quietly. "She was such an amazing girl." From the way he spoke towards Carlisle, I gathered that he had discussed Leila with my husband. _

_ Carlisle laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I am very sorry for your loss. I can't imagine your pain." _

_ "I know she is in a good place with love," Razul said, his gaze flickering to me with a strange light in them. "Well, it was good meeting you, Dr. Cullen – Carlisle. I look forward to working with you again."_

_ I was almost trembling now with anxiety. I needed to get home and somehow find Leila. Carlisle turned me with an arm around my shoulder and led me with slow steps out to the Mercedes. The moment we cleared the doors words began pouring out of me in a torrent._

_ "Leila is missing, Carlisle! Jasper called and he said she's gone. How could she just disappear? He said she was out in the yard with Renesmee and a minute later she had vanished!" I was breathing furiously again, angry and afraid. "How could she disappear with non of them even noticing? And what about Renesmee? They weren't even watching her if Leila could vanish from playing with her and they didn't know! I swear, when I get my hands on them..."_

_ Carlisle held open my door and I plopped on the seat unceremoniously. He smirked at the unaccustomed lack of poise from me. He quickly circled the car and got in, starting it and reversing out of the parking spot in one smooth action. "How long ago did she disappear?" Carlisle's voice was calm and soothing as usual, but for once it did little to calm me._

_ I recounted my conversation with Jasper verbatim and then lapsed into a tense silence. Carlisle reached over the console and held my hand. "We will find her Esme. We will look for her until we find her. I promise." I looked at him and saw it in his face. He meant every word. He would look for Leila, if nothing else than just to make me happy. We flew over the back roads on our way home, the needle of the speedometer vibrating against the pin past the 120 mph mark. Somehow it still felt as if we crawled._

**Leila POV**

I ran through the darkened streets back towards my house again, heeding Aurora's command to stop at home on my way out of town. _What on earth was I supposed to do there?_ I stopped in the backyard and peered up towards the bedroom windows facing me. _Okay. I was here. Was I supposed to go in?_ I waited for ten minutes and decided there was nothing left for me here.

As I turned to leave, I suddenly froze.

_ "I wish I had been a better mother to her. I wish I could do it all again and tell her I loved her. I wish she hadn't had to die thinking I hated her."_

The weeping voice hit me full force, and I gasped, stunned as I realized it was my mother. I couldn't move. I listened closely, wondering if she spoke aloud or had merely thought it.

_Was she awake? _When I heard nothing more I turned back to the house and dropped my bag, scaling the wall. Quietly I opened the window at the end of the hallway.

"_I wish I knew if she knew I _did_ love her."_

The heart that no longer lived squeezed painfully in my chest. I had never heard such despair in her voice. She had always just been the restrained mother who met my physical needs, but was frozen towards me emotionally.

Until recently, I had never understood why a flash of regret was in her eyes every time she looked at me. With my brothers and Lily there was always hugs and unbridled delight in them.

The few occasions I did remember her hugging me, it was obligatory and strained and always in public. I learned really young that it was more comfortable to seek out my dad for emotional support and be as stand-offish as she was. It seemed to ease her discomfort some.

Now as I stood frozen, listening to her sorrow, I wondered. _Did she know more about my origins, and hers than Aurora knew?_ _Was this just remorse because I was dead? Or had she always secretly loved me, but just couldn't bear the evidence of her own betrayal to my dad?_ My mind was a mashed up mess of confusion and I could hear deep sobs now and then the quiet bass voice as my dad comforted her.

_I miss him!_ My eyes burned as my throat always did at the sound of his voice. I longed to run in their room and hug him and tell him I was fine and could come home, but I knew simultaneously that it was impossible.

Listening intently to make sure no one was awake, I quietly made my way back to my room and sat in my old desk chair. Quickly I activated my computer and jammed a thumb drive into a port. I had left every thing except my journal on the desktop. Now I pulled portions of my diary onto a new document and then saved it with the bold heading "My Journal".

I read the parts quickly, adding portions here and there to convey my personal feelings now that I knew the truth of everything. I left the icon in the middle of the screen, knowing she would see it someday. The parts I had put there would tell her what she needed in order to have peace and know I didn't hate her. I felt calm as I re-traced my steps and leaped out of the hall window. Somehow, leaving words of forgiveness for her made me feel resolution of my childhood distress.

I left my bag by the back fence and climbed up a tree to watch. In the early hours of the morning I heard a whispering wish from my mother again, and I granted it, sending the idea to look on my computer. Accepting that there were no ties left for me, I leaped down from the branches. I stared at my childhood home with the leaden knowledge that I would never see it nor my family again, before turning to accept my destiny. As I picked up my bag, I felt the weirdest sense of urgency and danger. Something told me I needed to get home to the Cullens, NOW!


	26. Chapter 26

**Sorry about the repeating chapter posting error. My computer is a complete dinosaur and has some glitch that is confusing text. It took me three attempts to reload the correct text for this chapter. Makes me want to chop it with an axe! =)**

**Thank you to the 4 AWESOME folks who reviewed Chapter 25. I appreciate it. If any of you have a second, it makes me really happy to get a review just to know if I'm going in an interesting direction. **

**So... big fight scene with Leila's bio-daddy coming next. I really wish I had a good beta as I'm a little insecure about it... But hope you like the lead-in chapter.**

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**ESME POV**

The feeling of utter helplessness and frustration that accompanied Leila's disappearance was making me irritable and touchy. Most of my children were avoiding me as much as possible after I had almost chewed Rosalie's head off for a simple remark she had made. Even Carlisle was walking on eggshells around me, his feelings having been stung when I informed him sharply that he could go to work if he wanted because I didn't need him hovering over me.

I felt remorseful the second the words were out of my mouth, but my mood was not conducive for an adequate apology. I had not been this upset over anything since Edward had left us for his rebellious phase. When the Volturi had come against us, fear was my overriding emotion. In this instance there was a bubbling mixture of negative emotions keeping me in turmoil. I was angry that Leila had left and that the rest of my children had not even realized she was gone, I was afraid that something would happen to her, and I was hurt most of all that if she had wanted to leave, she had not at least waited until I had gooten home so I could have hugged her good bye. Not that I would have just hugged her and sent her on her merry way.

Oh no! I would have fought with every last fiber of my being to keep her with me. Maybe she knew I would stop her and had left when I was gone for that very reason. Thinking alone in my room was increasing my agitation, but I really didn't want to join the rest of my family downstairs. Part of me was still mad at them, but a larger part of me was ashamed at my own behavior towards my most loved children. I stared out the window, absently following the droplets of rain down the glass with my eyes. I kept watch of the treeline for any glimpse of a shimmering gold head. Hour after hour there was nothing. And to make matters worse, Alice reported via a shout from down below that she was being consistently blocked. With each reminder I felt a surge of something I would only classify as Mother Adrenaline. When I got my hands on my youngest, I would spank the fire out of her backside. Well, truthfully I was probably going to hug the life out of her, but still...

A fresh wave of sadness and fear swept over when I amended my thought to 'if I ever got my hands on her". I needed to accept the possibility that she could never come home. I knew that I would spend any amount of money and time searching for her, but if she had gone by choice and really did not want to be with my family any longer, no matter how crushing it was, I would have to respect her wishes.

As I watched out of the window, I felt a slight shiver down my spine. It was like a premonition of danger, a feeling I had never experienced. Brushing it off as more bad feelings over Leila, I started plotting ways to engage my family in an extensive search plan. Again the horrible sensation of danger assailed me and this time I felt a tinge of violence with it. So strong was the fear of the unknown feeling, I flew down the stairs to my family. Everyone looked at me startled.

"Esme?" Carlisle asked urgently, recognizing instantly that something was very wrong. My eyes were wild and I let my gaze flit over each of my family members. Reassuring myself that they were all present and safe, I did not resist when Carlisle wrapped a protective, comforting arm around my shoulders.

I looked at Edward, hoping he was getting enough out of my racing mind to convey something that made sense to everyone else. I was so rattled by whatever it was I experienced upstairs, I didn't feel capable to try to put it into words.

"She feels like there's danger coming, something violent," Edward said quietly, sounding amazed at what he heard and saw in my mind. "It's almost like something Alice sees, except it's just a feeling, a premonition of sorts." Alice was staring blankly now and I recognized the eager searching of the future she was engaged in.

"I don't see anything!" She said in a high anxious voice. "Edward?" she turned to him in question.

"No, I don't hear any thoughts, there is no one near that I can sense." Edward answered her unspoken question. She turned towards Jasper.

"Can you feel anything from anybody close by?" He shook his blond head. "No darlin', I'm sorry I'm not picking anything up."

"I don't know for sure that something is coming, I just felt a shiver down my spine." I spoke quietly trying to alleviate some of Alice's obvious distress.

Edward looked at me with his serious eyes. "What ever you felt, it is something real, some kind of... instinct or sense that none of us have yet to register."

"Well, we will be on alert. It is good that we have all recently hunted as it would be safest to stay together." Carlisle spoke in his calm wise voice. I thought of my anger when I had realized my children were 'snacking' along the way during our search for Leila. Now I was just grateful they had, for if there was something violent coming, they would have more strength for the fight. I quivered inside when I realized that I was the only one who had not fed recently. Coupled with all of my strong emotions for the past hours and I was feelings weaker than normal. I didn't say anything though, for I knew it would upset Carlisle greatly. If he thought there was anything that could possibly harm me, he would risk anything to make sure I was okay.

Edward's eyes bored into me as he read my mind and I knew he was even now determined to protect me. I smiled wanly at him, thanking him in my mind for his everlasting love for me. I worked as hard as I could to block him as I felt something even worse than before and knew without a shadow of a doubt that there was indeed something coming, and that somehow I would be harmed. I felt unbearably cold which was ironic seeing as I was already frozen.

Carlisle tipped my chin up so he could look into my eyes. "What is it Esme?" He asked me insistently, knowing something was wrong. I smiled vaguely shaking my head.

"Nothing, nothing. I was just... thinking." I smiled again to reassure him but could see in his eyes that he was not fooled a bit by my attempt at bravado. He raised his eyebrows but said nothing. After a few more minutes in awkward silence, I excused myself to return to my bedroom. The moment I closed my door I began to breathe in gasping pants, panic heavy on my chest, as I attempted to calm myself from the ominous doom that was pressing on me from every corner.

**LEILA POV**

I was running towards Forks, the burden on my back nothing more than a whisper as the duffel bag hung suspended as I flew over the earth. With each stride a premonitory feeling of danger and violence pressed upon me causing me to feel panicked as I tried to push myself faster. Desperately I tried to see into the future but only caught a flash of Esme's face. She looked to be in pain, but it was to brief a glance to discern the kind of pain. It could have been her simply feeling sad or something much worse. Whatever it was, I hoped and prayed fervently that Keiran had not found the Cullen's.

A single sob burst through my lips as I tried to not think of Esme or any of my family hurt by his hand. The closer I came to home, the worse the feeling of doom was. I tried over and over to get some sense of anything using one of my 'intercepted' powers. Apparently I had not been around my new family long enough to make them my own and only saw a flash of a startled look from Renesmee.

I began to recognize landmarks and knew I was coming close to Cullen territory. I could have wept with relief but focused my efforts to actually reaching them. I didn't smell any unknown scents, but that did not reassure me. It would not be difficult for Keiran to circumvent any knowledge of his coming.

_Dear God, please do not allow my family to be killed, and PLEASE keep Esme safe until I can reach her to protect her! _I didn't care if Edward and Carlisle thought we were damned. I believed in goodness and karma, and if there was a God of vampires out there, I hoped he heard my prayer.


	27. Chapter 27

**Okay... here it is. I hope it is what you were hoping for! :) Just one more Chapter before the end, then it's on to Book 2. Thank you for coming this far with my story, I appreciate everyone who has read it... And especially to those who review! I can't believe all of the different countries where people have read my story. The internet is awesome! So without further ado... the confrontation! Let me know what you think!**

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**Esme POV**

Bodies moved in a slow dance across the grass and through the air. Fiery pain caused the violence of the scene before me to take on a surreal hue. I wanted to cry out in warning to my family members still fighting to save us, but I could not draw breath to move sound through my vocal cords. Darkness was closing in from the fringes of my vision and I struggled to keep my sight on Carlisle. If I could see him, there was still hope.

The unstoppable monster destroying my loved ones was winning. The searing, crushing pain felt as if it was pressing me into the ground and my chest hurt unbearably. As the dark closed over me completely, I saw a beautiful thing. Flying through the trees, the lithe silvery gold form of my beautiful Leila.

**LEILA POV**

I knew he was there as I hit what I called the Cullen County Line. I pushed my body harder, hurtling with such speed I hardly registered my feet touching the forest floor.

As I drew closer to the house I heard the sounds of vicious fighting. I ripped the bag from my back, dropping it in the crevice of a huge boulder. Before I reached the river, I saw a small trembling figure hugging a tree as it peeked around. I stopped dead.

"Renesmee." I whispered her name a split second before I picked her up. I saw her terrified face and heard a language speak inside my brain that was so foreign, I froze for a moment.

"_Mechti ashna ulad lei azaz_." I didn't recognize the language yet I understood the meaning. _Protect the good even with death._

My thoughts passed so quickly she was still staring at me in shock. "Leila?" she whimpered almost silently. I covered her mouth gently with my hand and nodded. Whispering so quietly a human would not have been able to hear, I instructed her. "Go up this tree. Do not come down unless I come. Do you understand? Do NOT come down for anyone." I realized as I spoke the last sentence how ridiculous it was. Any vampire could reach her without difficulty. Her tiny head bobbed up and down. When I removed my hand to hoist her up to a branch, she stopped me with a palm to my forehead.

I saw Edward be thrown in a corkscrew motion by his head to the ground and lay unmoving. Then I saw Bella streak from beside me headed straight for the huge blonde vampire that had been present at my murder. She was backhanded directly in the face so hard she hurtled across the river and her body shattered a massive boulder. As she laid on the ground seemingly unconscious, I saw her face was cracked gruesomely from her forehead down across her neck, the frightening wound disappeared under her shirt.

Renesmee removed her hand and mouthed a silent plea. "Help mommy."

I kissed her little forehead and nodded. "I will. I promise." I mouthed back in return. I pushed her little body up and she briefly resisted, looking at me in abject horror. I realized instantly that though she was a vampire, she was just a little child who was scared to death.

"Go baby!" I urged in an audible voice. "I will help them but you have to go!" This time she obeyed my urgent push. As she darted up the tree, I flew through the trees and across the river.

Keiran was fighting Emmett and Jasper and winning. Emmett went directly up in the air more than sixty feet and when he came hurtling down, Keiran kicked him in the solar plexus and his body made a horrible cracking noise as it folded back on itself in an unnatural degree. He didn't move after hitting the ground.

Now Keiran turned his attention solely on Jasper. He stalked him across the lawn as Jasper pressed on his left shoulder rotating his arm at the same time. He grimaced in pain as he did so and I realized he also was hurt. _What would he have done to Renesmee if I hadn't come back?_ I thought in horror.

"Hey." I said in a loud yet controlled voice. Keiran whirled on me as I spoke. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

I unzipped my jacket and removed it casually as I slowly sauntered towards him. I had a sarcastic smirk on my face as I dropped it lightly on a rock. I saw pure unadulterated rage flare in his eyes as he headed towards me and a thrill raced up my body as I thought of the fight coming. I raised my eyebrows and shuddered in mock fright. "Ooh. Did I make the big bad man mad?" I mocked with a tone stolen from my sister Lily.

He snarled a truly frightening growl and pointed a huge finger at me. "You do not know what you have brought upon yourself little girl. You should have run." I laughed, a light tinkling sound that echoed around the clearing. I looked at him seriously for a moment with a weird sense of sadness. I was going to have to kill him. I knew I had to, but it felt wrong. No one should ever have to kill their father. I hadn't known he was my father very long, but there was something instinctive about not killing your own parents.

"You should have stayed away from the Cullen's," I said coldly. "They had nothing to do with this. You know they didn't even know me when I killed him."

Keiran laughed evilly. "What does it matter if they knew you or not. You did this to them when you joined up with them. And they're _good! _I can't let _good vampires_ go free. Catering to human life as if it is more valuable than the greatness of immortals. They blaspheme our name, make us sound weak!"

He was only ten yards from me now. "And now, little girl, I will have _my_ revenge on _you_." Something about his words sounded like a line from a cheesy B movie and I would have giggled had the situation not been so grave.

He reached out his arms as he flew the distance to me and I reacted instantaneously, turning my body into a javelin as I launched myself feet first into his chest. I knocked him back at least a hundred yards.

Shock entered his eyes as he realized that I was much stronger than he had anticipated. I smirked again; _I hadn't even used full force. No need giving away everything to the enemy._ I circled him as he came towards me again much more slowly this time. I wanted to check on the Cullen's but couldn't take my attention from Keiran to see if every one was alive.

"You should ru-uhn," I told him in a singsong voice. "You should run very far and never come back." Some little part of me that wasn't consumed with the desire to kill, _wanted_ him to go. He just laughed.

"Run? From you?" He shook his head slowly and clicked his tongue.

I realized he wasn't just a vampire who killed for food. He was _evil_. He delighted in evil and would continue to do evil until he was stopped permanently.

"Come on, do your worst." He lunged at me with renewed vigor.

I allowed him to reach me and right as he raised his hands to grab my arms, I twisted under and around him launching myself directly up in the air and coming down with great force on his back.

He landed flat on the ground and I had already flown up to a tree branch before he was able to stand. He looked side to side and I whistled to aggravate him. As he spotted me he rocketed up in the air and I flew out of the tree, purposefully slamming myself into him. We spun almost twenty rotations before we hit the ground. I smiled in exhilaration as he grunted from the impact. I _knew_ I couldn't lose this fight. Both because I was insanely strong, but also because I couldn't let him hurt this wonderful family who had been more than willing to add me to their number.

Keiran flung me up off of him and caught me by the throat. I kicked him in the shoulders wrapping my hands around his thick wrist and forcibly pulled his hand from my throat. I did a back flip from the momentum and slammed him in the face. He launched himself backwards and I followed like a ferocious dog. He got in one good smack across the face that sent me reeling back. I landed in a hunting crouch and growled long and low.

"No more Little Miss Nice Girl." I said fiercely. His eyes were wild with fury now. I smiled again – this time a mean, cold sneer. I stood slowly, pretending to crack my neck, preparing myself for the next thing coming.

"Before I kill you I just want to know something." He laughed at my statement as if the mere thought of me killing him was impossible, but narrowed his black eyes making no move towards me. Giving him a quizzical look I asked a question that had been bugging me since the day I was bitten.

"Why did you just stand there and watch him kill me? I mean, I was just a kid!" I spoke with sorrow and confusion tinting my voice as I let myself feel, just for a moment, the hurtfulness of a father standing back and letting someone kill his child in front of his very eyes. Of course he didn't _know_ he was my father, but still. He simply stared blankly at me.

"I was the blonde girl in Oregon that he killed two weeks before I killed him." My irritated explanation cleared the confusion from his eyes.

"You were the little girl with green eyes?" His question was little more than a whisper.

I nodded. "Tell me who he was."

Keiran smiled thoughtfully. "His name was Ghalib. He was the greatest immortal I have known. He was my hero, my mentor, my brother."

"_Not_ your brother," I corrected with a condescending smile. Around me I could sense movement from some of my family members and radiating waves of anxious violence coming from Jasper. "You should have stopped him Keiran. You should have protected me." I saw the bunch and surge of his muscles as he prepared to move.

_Bad idea!_ I thought. He should have just moved and not given me an opportunity to do so first. I flung myself heedlessly back as he attacked. He was strong, much stronger than anything I had ever experienced; yet I didn't feel threatened. I knew I was going to win.

I dove sideways as he swung with a closed fist in a move I was certain was meant to decapitate me. As I flipped over and ran towards the cable swing I saw the most horrific sight. Esme was laying still against a boulder, her eyes closed with Carlisle kneeling next to her. But the part that was bone-chilling was the fist sized hole in her chest. I heard a howl of rage and realized it came from me. Anger and rage swept me in a hot tide as a cold trickle of dread crept down my spine.

_He had killed Esme! _In my blind fury, I flew through the air, snagging the titanium cable before swinging back with the end poised to garrote him. I was not calculated in my movements anymore. I was wild and out of control, nothing left in my mind but a red haze demanding I kill him! I was too unfocused to react when he whipped around my flying form, striking me so hard I let go of the cable as I was flung across the river. _Oww! _My side hurt so bad where he hit me. I screamed with temper and glared at him murderously.

Springing back across the water, I was single minded in my determination to destroy him. Very faintly I heard a pained moan and I realized it was Esme. _She was alive!_ Somehow knowing that she was alive focused me again and a strange feeling held me still as I stared Keiran down. Seeing that I was not going to make the first move, he launched the next attack. My instinct was to duck and evade but somehow I ended up turning in a graceful motion, my left hand touching his wrists as I made a lighting rotation around his body. He dropped to his knees with his hands behind his back as if he had been handcuffed.

"No! This is impossible!" He spoke in a hoarse voice, his eyes were shocked as he looked at me in horror. I stood there staring at him wondering what on earth had just happened. He apparently knew what was going and I crouched next to him. "What's impossible?"

He hissed at me and I jerked backwards. "You were able to bind me! It isn't your gift, so that means you have to be..." He stopped speaking and merely stared at me for a second before his eyes flattened in rejection.

I smiled cruelly. "I have to be what?" I asked, though I knew the answer.

"My child." He said slowly. I raised an eyebrow, my smile still in place. I pulled a little square paper from the back pocket of my jeans and held it before his eyes. He looked at it for a minute, a different look coming over him as he focused on the picture of my mother and I. He looked up at me as if seeing me for the first time.

"Come with me," he spoke in a silky persuasive voice. "I will leave these creatures be if you will come with me. We would be invincible!" He smiled with a maniacal gleam. "Imagine, the strength of my father and the healer from my mother. You will be the most powerful immortal the world has ever seen!" I narrowed my eyes at Keiran.

"The healer from your mother?' What does that mean?" He chuckled as he tried to stand but the invisible shackles I had somehow magically applied held him to the ground.

"My mother, the ethereal, wondrous Dahlia, was the greatest healer of the Farzhaq. And she gave it all up for a human!" He spit out the word as if it were poison. "But her legacy lived through her blood line. She passed it to her sons, but you are greater by being a daughter!" He smiled at me. "It lives in you! I could teach you everything about who you are! Come with me!"

I shook my head looking down at the ground for a moment. "Do you remember your brother?" If it were possible, the granite face seemed to soften at my words and he smiled fondly.

"He was such a beautiful little baby with the bluest eyes. He looked just like my mother. You look like her also, but almost more beautiful. I saw him once after my mother died. He was a little golden angel oppressed by the madman my mother had given up her immortality for. I was forbidden by the guardian counsel to take him away, so I never went back." He seemed to have genuinely cared for his little brother all those centuries ago.

"Do you remember his name?" My words were spoken almost silently.

He narrowed his eyes. "How do you even know about him?"

My gaze was steady as I continuously stared at him. "Carlisle," I called out evenly. Carlisle's head turned from Esme towards us and I smiled sadly at Keiran. He looked at Carlisle and then at me.

"He... That is him?"

I nodded. "You shouldn't have hurt his family. You shouldn't have chosen to follow Ghalib. You could have had a real brother. But you have nothing now."

"You can't kill me!" he spoke with both horror and venom.

I smiled sadly. "I was **_born_** to kill you." My hands shot out with an almost invisible movement and his head fell to the ground. '_As if he were Goliath'_, I thought. His body was still kneeling as both it and the head started to disintegrate.

It wasn't ashy dust like in the movies. Instead it was almost golden sparks as it shimmered and disappeared molecule by molecule. I stared in a daze, mesmerized by the bizarre deterioration.

It was weird how you could be talking to someone one moment and the next moment they were just gone, no longer existing.

I felt warmer and warmer as he disappeared. I stood up as the heat grew stronger in my center, my eyes fixated on the scene before me. I didn't hear my name called and just barely felt the arms drawing me back.


	28. Chapter 28

**Well, I expected this to be the last chapter, but the creative process can be unpredictable and I find myself with one more chapter after this and an epilogue. Thank you so much for reading! :D You make me happy. And sorry for the long wait for this chapter. There was a severe medical emergency in my family and my time has been consumed taking care of my niece. ****Thank you again for staying with me so far! I hope the end of the story doesn't disappoint. And remember, this is NOT the end of my saga. So if you're interested in seeing where the family goes next, I'll be putting up the new story. I promise you, it's**** actually getting better as I go along. As always, I love to hear what people think!**

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**Esme POV**

I was in agony, the worst pain I had felt in my existence - human or vampire. It was a biting, tearing pain that also seemed to crush me as I lay there. I couldn't imagine what that horrible man had done to me, but I remembered clearly the absolute shock and terror I felt as he turned his hand with fingers pointed and thrust towards my heart. Jasper and Carlisle had smashed into him simultaneously and that was all that had saved me from complete annihilation, I was sure. As it was, he had ripped out a portion of my chest sending me reeling as I flew from his grasp. I couldn't think, couldn't breathe, I was just a ball of pain. Carlisle was hovering above me as Leila fought off the monster and as relieved as I was that she had returned I was worried that somehow he would succeed in hurting her too.

I closed my eyes, there was too much pain. I opened them at a collective gasp from the rest of my family and saw the form of the terrible creature as he disintegrated in an golden orange light. It seemed to swirl around Leila and I whispered her name with a pleading look to Carlisle. With the most pronounced reluctance, he stood and crossed to her and I saw the lights wrap around him too as he attempted to pull Leila away. It became a bright, hot glow as the handsome beast of a vampire completely vanished. All you could see were two glowing figures where my husband and daughter stood.

I felt panicked, wondering of they would be destroyed by the strange sparking light, but could do nothing.

I gasped in a desperate sob as I saw Jasper fly towards them and try to pull Leila from Carlisle's arms. It looked like they were welded together as he could not move her a millimeter from Carlisle's grasp. As soon as the light dissipated though, Leila flew across the yard with the force of Jasper's pull. I didn't know what had happened to Carlisle and Leila within the hot swirling lights but I couldn't think anymore. I closed my eyes, defeated by the pain.

**Carlisle's POV**

From the moment I had seen him come through the trees, I was certain I had known him at some point in my life. Since his face was just a blurry memory, I figured it had been in my human life. It was odd, but I had the feeling that I had known him as a small child. Though I frantically searched my hazy memories, I could not recall how he was important, but his face made me think of love and good things.

He had simply glided out of the forest and stood watching us with the most chilling eyes I had ever seen. I understood now what Leila had meant when she said the one who changed her had red and black eyes that 'pulsed'. There something about his very being was ominous and I was gripped by a fear stronger than when the Volturi had come for us almost two years past.

His entrance into our yard had been made with no warning, Edward and Alice gasping simultaneously the instant he glided through the trees. Jasper sent Bella and Renesmee through the front door, instructing her to circle around and take Renesmee to Jacob. I didn't know if she would make it that far. Her instinct to protect her mate would war with the instinct to protect her child. Somehow we all knew instinctively that something very terrible was about to take place.

The swiftness and sheer vicious fury of his attack had been so alarming and destructive, I wasn't sure even now of each and every part of the battle. All that was burned into my everlasting memory was the utter rage and fear that had consumed me when he had turned on Esme and tried to rip out her heart. In my urgent assault on him to save her, the whisper of knowledge of what he was evaporated before it crystallized.

When I had almost conceded the eminent defeat of my family I had seen Leila streak into the yard. I couldn't focus on anything though but getting to Esme's side. When I had reached her and seen up close the absolute horror of her wounds, I had almost collapsed with the most intense, paralyzing fear. I felt helpless as I realized I had no idea of how to heal such an injury on a vampire. The sounds of vicious fighting had suddenly ceased, but I was so wrapped up in trying to think of a way to heal Esme I didn't bother to see what was going on.

"Carlisle," Leila's eerily calm voice made me look away from Esme to her and I saw the man now kneeling, his hands behind his back, turn to look at me with disbelieving eyes. He refocused on Leila. "You can't kill me!" He said vehemently. She looked sad almost as she spoke to him before her hands shot out and in a move like I had never seen before took his head from his body.

As his head fell to the ground, he began to disintegrate with golden sparks. I had never seen such a thing in all of my life. As his body disappeared, the golden light around him grew, rising up and began to reach around Leila. Esme lifted up a hand and looked at me. "Leila." Her whisper was a direct plea for me to intervene. Unable to resist anything she asked, I left her side.

"Leila!" I called as I approached her. She didn't respond but continued to look intently at his vanishing form. The gold light had reached a particular brightness and made her entire body glow intensely. It looked as if all of the sparks and light that were coming from him were now wrapped around her. Not knowing what exactly to do, I wrapped my arms around her from behind and moved her away from him.

It was like hugging the sun. Where there was contact with her body, there was intense heat. As a second passed, I felt the warmth infuse my body.

"Carlisle!" Jasper called my name urgently but I couldn't release Leila when he tried to pry her from my grasp. I could feel something strengthen and change as I held her. As the last of the golden lights dissipated, she moved and my arms released allowing me to let go of her. She flew across the yard with the force of Jasper's pull and instantly vaulted upright, racing to Esme's side. With a choked gasp, she dropped to her knees besides Esme.

"Oh, Esme!" She whispered in a stricken tone. "I'm so sorry." Her hands shook as they hovered above Esme and she sobbed like a little girl over her mother. Esme opened her eyes for a second and I could see she tried but failed miserably to smile reassuringly. I crouched by Esme again, unable to be apart from her. My heart ached unbearably for the pain she was in, and the fear that I could lose her seemed to cripple my ability to think or function.

"I'm so sorry, it's all my fault!" Leila continued to apologize to Esme and laid her hands on Esme beside her crushing wound. Esme gasped and squeezed her eyes tightly as she panted and moaned in pain. I wanted to rip Leila away from Esme but as I tensed to move, I saw the edges of the ragged wound visibly begin to repair. I looked up at the young blond goddess that was chanting for Esme to 'please be okay, please don't leave me, I need you, please be okay, I love you.' There were slow thick tears tracking down her face and she reached up to wipe them away with her fingers.

Almost in slow motion, I saw her hand reach back to Esme and when her fingertips touched Esme's skin, it reacted instantly trying to mend itself under the unnamed magic of her touch. When the healing stopped, Leila looked at me desperately. "You have to save her Carlisle!" I felt helpless desperation claw at my stomach and I wanted to scream. _I didn't know how to save her!_ Wanting to remove Esme from the rude environment she was currently in, I lifted her in my arms and rushed through the house up into our bedroom and laid her gently on the bed.

Leila followed me up and I didn't object, though our bedroom was usually our own private sanctuary. Focusing on Esme, I sat beside her and laid my hand on her cheek.

"You are the one who can heal her Carlisle. It is who you are, it's from your mother - the ability to heal." Leila's whisper had my head whirling around to stare at her dumbfounded.

"What do you know of my mother?" I asked in a harsh whisper. She merely looked back at me imploringly.

"Please Carlisle, don't let her die! You have to heal her now. Just try!" Following out of some kind of internal obedience, I laid my hand on the ugly hole in Esme's chest.

"Oh..." was all I could choke out as the most alarming, unbelievable thing happened. The same golden light that had come from the vampire as he evaporated came from the palm of my hand. The glowing heat seemed to almost pull in the edges of the wound, working all of the hideous cracks and edges until all was completely repaired. All that was left was smooth, pristine white with not even a trace of a scar. I lifted my hand as if in a dream and stared at my palm, stared at the former site of injury and then looked to Leila.

"Oh wow!" she whispered in wonder. "That is... wow!"

I realized that more of my family members were now in the room. Everyone stared in mute shock. "Carlisle?" Alice said tentatively. I looked at her and followed her eyes to Esme right as she breathed in and opened her eyes. Esme looked down to where the grievous wound had been and then to me. The beginnings of a smile formed on her lips and I smiled widely, so relieved that she was alive and awake. I caught her up in my arms and hugged her fiercely, making absolutely sure not to squeeze her at all.

As I reveled in the absolute joy of having my beloved whole in my arms, I made eye contact with Leila. She had a shrewd look in her eyes and I was aware that there were many things I needed to discuss with her.

**Jasper POV**

I stood dumbfounded at what I had just seen. Alice was for once, silenced with not a word to say. Esme looked up to Carlisle with a tremulous smile and he hugged her to him with an uttered, "Oh!"

Alice clutched my arm painfully as she watched them, her emotions telling me she was riding a wave of relief, love and gratefulness. My emotions, though not as fluctuating, mirrored hers. When I had seen Esme with the great ugly wound in her chest, I had felt the most unimaginable fury and fear. The fury did not surprise me, but the fear that gripped me had choked me for a split second. The mere thought of a life with Esme gone had caused a cascade of such raw agonizing sorrow; I had almost stumbled in my run towards the blond devil trying his best to kill Emmett.

I was awash with thankfulness as I looked at her now with her body restored to its perfect state. I could tell from the confused state of Carlisle's emotions that he would not be letting go of Esme for quite some time. I didn't blame him at all. Had it been Alice and I in the same situation, I would have to be ripped apart and burned to ashes before I would willing let her out of my arms for years.

Something told me though that with Carlisle's sensibilities, it would be considerably shorter for him. Deciding to tell Alice we should retreat from the room, she reacted predictably and laid a hand on Esme's shoulder.

"We'll be downstairs if you need anything." Esme's black eyes looked at us and the love that emanated from her towards us was greater than anything I had ever felt from her. I merely smiled at her, sending out intense waves of love and peace. Her eyes closed and she slumped further into Carlisle's embrace. I could feel that although her wounds were healed, she was extremely weak and thirsty.

Alice drew me out of the room, Emmett and Rosalie following us quickly. Leila stayed behind but Alice shook her head when I turned back towards the room. "Just give her a minute Jazz. She just needs a minute."


	29. Chapter 29

**Last chapter! I can't believe it! Thank you for coming this far with me and THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all the reviews. My goal has always been 120 and I'm almost there. But more than the numbers, knowing people liked it enough to spend their time noting it, makes me feel SO awesome! :D If you want to follow the Cullen's on the next part of their lives in my little universe for them, I WILL be posting Book 2 after I post the Epilogue. I'm still looking for a title so if you have any suggestions... please tell me!**

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**Leila POV**

I stood staring at Carlisle and Esme, sick to my stomach as the magnitude of the recent events churned in my mind. Alice and Jasper had left the room with Emmett and Rosalie following. I knew they wanted me to come also, yet somehow I couldn't move. By my mere presence in their lives, the Cullen's were almost effortlessly wiped out. I stared at Esme, noting the pronounced darkness under her eyes and the limp way she lay against Carlisle. His eyes bored into mine and I could see questions in his and a wisdom I had not seen before. _I wish to speak with you later on._ The whisper floated through my head and I nodded once to let him know I had heard.

"No! Leila said not for anyone!" The high shriek from outside snapped my focus from Carlisle and Esme as I recognized Renesmee's voice. _Oh Jeezus Christ! She must still be up that freakin' tree! _

I looked at Esme one more time before darting out the door. I had to fix everything somehow, but first I had to get the baby out of the stupid tree. As I ran quickly to where I had left Renesmee, my mind raced. Esme didn't look like normal Esme. She was lying so still in a way that was scary and she looked really weak and sick. She shouldn't have been hurt and she wouldn't have; except she had accepted me as a part of her family. I was so mortified that my father had tried to kill her. There was no way I would tell any of them right now that he was my real father. But now Carlisle was looking at me with that weird wisdom and knowledge in his eyes that said he was more aware of things than he let on.

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**Jasper POV**

Edward and Bella had not joined us upstairs when we had followed Carlisle, so when we left him and Esme, Alice pulled me back outside. I could hear Bella calmly telling Renesmee she could come down now and I could see Edward in a tree next to the one Renesmee was holding onto for dear life. We jumped the river and ran to where Bella stood looking up at her daughter. Edward leapt from his tree to Renesmee and she shrieked.

"No! Leila said not for anyone!"

"Edward! You're not making the situation any better!" Bella snapped with an uncharacteristic bite. Renesmee hugged the tree harder and looked down with wild eyes. Her small body was shaking violently but there was steely determination underlining the intense fear rolling off her. I felt almost nauseous under the onslaught of her emotions and I couldn't imagine how such a little person could stand the feelings.

Alice stared at Edward and he looked down and then landed next to us in the next millisecond. "She will not come down to us because Leila told her to stay up there until she came back for her." He answered Alice's unspoken question.

_Thwack_! The tree we were standing under vibrated with the impact and Leila was suddenly on the branch next to Renesmee who threw skinny arms around her neck and began sobbing wildly.

"_He's gonna come back and kill Grandma Esme again, and you didn't come get me and mommy's face is broken and daddy tried to take me out of the tree and the bad man hurt everyone and you didn't come back and get me! And I was so scared." _

The out pouring of childish incomprehension and fear gripped me in a viselike fist and I knew everyone else tasted the sour reality of what had almost happened to us. Bella's face _was_ 'broken', having a great ugly fissure from her hairline disappearing into the neckline of her shirt. That would more than explain her snapping at Edward. We may be immortal but we could still experience pain. I could attest to that now, my shoulder was aching fiercely and I knew if I were to remove my shirt I would see a visible wound there.

"I know baby, but Esme didn't die. Carlisle fixed her and she's all better. And we can take mommy to him and he'll make her all better too, okay?" Leila spoke in a calm hypnotic voice, which was in sharp contrast to her inner turmoil.

Renesmee's head nodded against her but she didn't stop crying, her wracking sobs grated on my raw emotions making them swell unbearably. I tried to send out peace and calm but I was too emotionally overloaded and I could feel that my mind was not computing the desired effect.

With a thud, Leila landed on the forest floor, Renesmee still wrapped around her neck in a death grip. She moved to hand her to Bella but when Renesmee opened her eyes and saw Bella's face up close she let out a blood curdling scream and smashed her face back into Leila.

"Okay, before things get any worse, we need to get in the house," Alice spoke quickly. She didn't need to say anything more. Edward had picked up his injured wife and was following rapidly behind Leila who was already across the river. Within a second we were in the house and to my absolute shock, Carlisle and Esme were downstairs in the living room.

If it were possible, Esme looked even more sallow than before, her eyes completely jet-black with dark purple smudges under them. She looked at us critically and I could feel maternal love and worry emanating from her. When she saw Bella's face she gasped and I shared her horror as she saw the ugly wound. Though not life-threatening as Esme's had been a vampire who had been around longer than Bella knew such an injury would be quite painful. Esme squeezed Carlisle's hand.

"Carlisle, fix her," she whispered weakly through lips that looked bizarrely chapped. I was beginning to worry, for even though she was mended it seemed that her wounds had still done some unknown damage to her.

Leila ran a hand over Renesmee's shaking head. "Look Renesmee. Look up and watch Carlisle." She spoke in a persuasive voice and the little bronze head slowly lifted and turned. Edward had set Bella down on the end of the couch and she grimaced with pain at each little movement. Carlisle left Esme's side and looked at Bella's wound with the practiced eye of a doctor. He let out a weary exhale and I could feel that he was lacking his usual unflappable confidence. His entire world had almost been decimated in the span of four minutes and it had shaken him deeply.

"This may hurt a bit," he said apologetically to Bella as he reached a hand towards her face. Renesmee's eyes widened as the golden light came from Carlisle's hand just as it had for Esme. Bella gasped once as the crack in her face sealed over and her body was restored to its former beauty.

"Your hand was on fire!" Renesmee whispered to Carlisle as the light vanished and he pulled away. Everyone had a look of stupefaction and I knew we were thrown a little off kilter by his newfound ability to heal in such a way. Edward looked to Esme and then back to Carlisle. I knew he was seeing in both of their minds just how she had been healed. "Mama, your face is all better!" Renesmee dove out of Leila's arms into Bella's lap.

"That is unreal," Emmett whispered. Rosalie stood next to him, her lovely face pinched and I realized she had not said a word or even made a sound since Leila had effectively stopped the blond devil. I focused on her for a moment wanting to take an emotional reading from her and realized she was radiating pain and confusion. Edward's eyes snapped to her.

"Rosalie!" he snarled and crossed instantly to her. Misunderstanding his tone as angry rather than urgent, Emmett threw her behind him and growled menacingly at Edward. As she hit the wall and fell, she let out a pained cry. Realizing something was wrong, Carlisle was suddenly in Emmett's face. "Our family was almost annihilated not even ten minutes ago! You will not turn on your brothers now," he was hissing angrily in a manner that was completely foreign coming from Carlisle.

Emmett turned as he recognized the startled cry Rosalie had uttered had been out of pain. He was instantly on his knees next to her scooping her into his arms. She hissed as his hand touched her right leg and he looked down at it with confusion in his eyes.

"Babe? What's wrong?" he asked starting to panic. She gritted her teeth and snarled at him. "Nothing; I just want to go upstairs and lay down." He shook his head looking at her as if she were insane.

"Uh-uh. What's wrong first," he asked with a surprisingly uncompromising look. She pursed her lips and glared back him. He shrugged his broad shoulders.

"Okay," he said with deception radiating from him. "Have it your way." He strode to the love seat and set her down carefully. With lightning hands he shredded the silk fabric of her pants revealing her leg up to her thigh. No one made a sound or even breathed.

"You will pay for that." Rosalie's voice was furious yet I could feel the pain and sheer feminine emotion behind her words. Emmett shook his head with serious eyes trained on her face. "Babe, why didn't you say anything?"

Seven inches above her knee was a clear imprint of a huge hand. I had only seen the devil throw her across the field when she had attacked out of anger for him hurting Emmett. What I hadn't realized was he had obviously squeezed her leg so hard he had crushed her leg almost two inches deep. Bella crouched next to her.

"Oh, Rosalie! How did you… Why didn't you tell us?" She was clearly horrified and Rosalie clenched her jaw as if trying to stop herself from crying. "Esme almost died and your head was split open." Rosalie's whisper was completely devoid of self pity or martyrdom. She had really thought her own pain was not as important as the injuries others had sustained.

"Carlisle, can you do your magic hands on her?" Emmett accompanied his question with circling motions of his hands. Even when he wasn't trying, he was still a touch humorous. Carlisle looked down at Rosalie and extended his hand. "May I?" he asked politely. There were some things he had learned in the eighty years of living with Rosalie and one of them was that it was always in your best interest to ask her before touching her. She nodded once sharply and steeled herself against whatever he was about to do. Once again he reached out and the moment his hand was a centimeter from her wound that bizarre orange light came out of the palm of his hand, instantly mending what had been destroyed.

When her thigh was mended, Rosalie looked at it and then at him speechless. She just stared as if she couldn't comprehend what had just occurred. Emmett crushed Carlisle in a hug. "Oh thank you man! You are awesome!"

The moment he was released, Carlisle was instantly with Esme where she sat on the sofa looking increasingly fragile. Her dark eyes scanned the room.

"Where's Leila?" she asked, her voice barely an audible whisper. I looked around the room. _What the hell?_ Leila was missing.

Again!

* * *

**Leila POV**

I was completely furious as I ran out of anger and frustration. I couldn't handle the guilt that ate at my stomach as I saw everyone in various states of hurt. When Emmett had ripped open Rosalie's pant leg and I had seen the clear imprint of Keiran's hand crushed into her thigh, I had almost screamed in rage. As everyone stared at her leg, I took the opportunity to slip out, making sure I cloaked my escape.

I knew that Esme would continue to get weaker and weaker and whether or not the Cullen's wanted to allow it, I knew the only thing that would make her better was human blood. It only took me twenty minutes to find what I needed.

I staked out the clinic for over an hour. The tents out front were busy; the lines to donate for the blood drive were nice and long. There was a young woman in pink flowered scrubs collecting the freshest blood. When she had collected at least a dozen pouches she brought them down to the last tent and stored them in one of the coolers under the table. I saw a young brunette nurse working quickly at the furthest tent and approached her from the side.

"Hi," I said cheerfully. She looked up and her jaw fell slack. I smiled and she shook her head before smiling slightly. "Hi," she said almost uncertainly.

"I was just wondering. You can't donate blood if you've ever had hepatitis can you?" She shook her head. "No."

I nodded. "Yeah that's what I thought. Well, I would like to help out but I guess there's nothing for me to do." She turned back to the man in the chair and I reached quickly under the table emptying the cooler into a shopping bag. I walked away in the opposite direction.

I ran as fast as I could back home. If I had to bodily throw Carlisle out the window I would make sure Esme drank the blood. She may be healed but she was extraordinarily weak and I wasn't sure that the wound to her chest had not done any permanent damage.

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**Carlisle POV**

Esme was resting in my arms and though I was happy and so relieved to have her there, I was also concerned about her current state. She was clearly worn out, exhausted and desperately thirsty, yet she refused again and again to go hunting. 'I don't want to run. I'm too tired. I just want to rest.' she had said shakily, causing my heart to squeeze uncomfortably. She was also very worried about Leila's disappearance. Alice had tried to reassure her, telling her she saw Leila coming back while it was still light.

"Esme!" Emmett's voice called from outside our bedroom window and I carried her over at her insistence to ask what he wanted. He was smiling up at her, a struggling buck pinned by the neck under his arm.

"You thirsty mama?" he asked cheerfully. Esme smiled weakly at him and nodded. I leapt from the window with her still firmly in my grasp and landed beside him. Reluctantly I let her go as she walked up to it and laid her hand on its neck.

"Allow me," Emmet said graciously and snapped its neck. With a complete lack of hunting finesse, Esme leaned down and bit through its neck. She drank listlessly, her eyes closed and her head seeming to lean wearily against the stinky animal. She pulled back before the deer was completely drained and turned towards the back door. I caught her as her legs gave out under her.

I carried her up and laid her on our bed again, realizing with ice in the pit of my stomach that just because the hole in her chest was healed over, she was not restored to her normal vigor. As I laid there holding her as close as possible, I frantically searched the recesses of my mind for a way to make her a hundred percent again. In the midst of my reverie I smelled something that should not be in my home. I didn't want to leave Esme but I needed to find out what the source of that smell was. I didn't need to search it out after all as my bedroom door was thrust open after a perfunctory knock.

Leila stood in the doorway, belligerence and fire in her eyes. "I know you will try to stop me and think this is wrong, but it's not. It's the only thing that will make her better." She marched across the room and sat next to Esme. She had a drinking glass in one hand and a purple shopping bag in the other. She gave me a little smile. "Don't worry daddy, no humans were harmed in the making of this remedy." She ripped the top off of an IV bag and the room was filled with the intoxicating smell of warm, fresh human blood. Exhaustion had every cell in my body screaming for it and I had to force myself to stay where I was. I saw Leila's eyes go black as she smelled it and she instantly squeezed her eyes tight and stopped breathing. She was shaking with the urge to drink it but she opened her eyes and poured the thick burgundy elixir into the glass.

Esme was staring intently at it, having pulled herself into a sitting position. Leila slowly handed her the glass and she took it, lifting her black eyes to me. "I'm sorry," she whispered and Leila glared at me. Understanding the meaning of the glare, I smiled carefully at Esme. "Don't worry love; it is probably the best thing for you now." She closed her eyes as she practically inhaled the whole glass. She groaned and held it out to Leila who instantly refilled it. This was repeated until she had consumed an amount equal to the blood a large man would contain.

Esme sighed with complete satisfaction and I braced myself for what I knew was coming next. Her lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes and my stomach tightened. Her eyes were brilliant _gold... w__hat_? I was across the room with her face in my hands as I examined her eyes minutely. There wasn't even a speck of red in them. I looked at Leila as if she would have the answer. She merely shrugged and pointed at the palm of her hand. "Maybe it's from whatever you've got going on there."

"We need to talk." I told her tiredly.

She smiled. "Yeah I know. But let's make a deal. I want to go somewhere warm and sunny and I heard you've got an island. That way we can talk without any third parties, Esme can get better and I can get a tan."

I chuckled at her irreverence. "Okay, we've got a deal. But the rest of the family will come down a few days after us."

She hugged Esme tight, looking as if she didn't want to let go. "I'm so sorry," she whispered to her. "If I had known how bad he had hurt you, I would have made him suffer more." Esme smiled and hugged her back. "You didn't need to make him suffer anymore. You made him gone and that is so much better."

Leila looked at her with fierce concentration. "Do you really feel better?" Esme nodded and raised an eyebrow. "I feel fantastic actually." Leila bit her lip. "I don't really want to leave you but…" she shrugged her shoulders awkwardly, looking between us. Somehow the little gesture was endearing rather than embarrassing, knowing that she was thinking she should give us private time. Maybe it was all the years of being around Emmett that made me jaded. I chuckled and crossed to her. I pulled her into my arms, noting how different it was to hug her than my other children.

It wasn't just her physical age that made her feel more childlike, it was something inherent in her character. And though I would never, ever admit it to anyone other than Esme, there was a connection with her that pulled at my emotional heartstrings more than any of my other children. I didn't have personal experience, but it was the closest thing I could imagine to the bond I would feel towards my own blood daughter.

"I really love you Leila," I told her quietly. She squeezed me tightly. "I love you too daddy."

_Hmm. _I had never been called that before but I liked the way it sounded.


	30. Epilogue

**I can't believe I reached the end! Thank you for coming this far with me. I know I have left the ending with a lot of questions unanswered, but that's because it is the whole first portion of the next book. So... if you're interested in finding out more about Leila, I will be posting the next story immediately! :) I love the Cullen Family and I just want to thank Stephenie Meyer for giving us this AWESOME universe for us to live vicariously in our own imaginations! (Does that even make sense? :D) Enjoy!**

**Also, check out the link on my profile page for some photo albums of Leila... And my Avatar on my profile is Leila's Passport Photo.**

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**Esme POV**

It was amazing how things could change in the span of a few days. I was currently lying on the beach in the hot sun. Leila had been swimming for hours, periodically surfacing to show me some exotic thing she had either caught or found on the ocean floor. She was completely fascinated by the tropical sea and with the fact she could dive and explore without the need for oxygen.

It had taken us a few days to get ready to leave when we realized that we didn't have any documents or ID to take Leila into Brazil. Much to J. Jenks' dismay, Jasper had been the one to procure the necessary papers. Alice had taken pictures for her passport and when Leila had seen them developed, she simply stared. "Do I really look like that?" she had asked. I chuckled as I remembered the look on her face. Somehow, her face on a photo was much more surprising to her than looking in the mirror.

"She looks very happy doesn't she?" Carlisle asked me now and I turned my head to look up at his face. We were lying on a wide chaise on the sand and I was very comfortable where I was. I smiled at him. I was so glad to be here with him, it was very relaxing and stress free. Even though I was feeling physically fine now, I was emotionally shaken.

"I think she's very happy right now," I reassured him. I looked back out at the ocean. Leila had surfaced and was laughing. I realized with surprise that there was a dolphin next to her. She stroked its nose and smiled widely at it. In a quick move the dolphin turned and streaked through the water. Leila laughed delightedly. "Oh! You want to race?" She shot after it, easily overtaking and passing it. She stopped a thousand yards out and turned. The dolphin leaped from the water and did a spin, chirping before it landed. I watched in awe as another dolphin joined the first and they frolicked in the water with Leila.

"Aren't they supposed to be afraid of her?" I asked Carlisle.

He was watching her with similar wonder and nodded. "Yes, I have never seen one approach us before." As he said that, one of the dolphins dove under the water and resurfaced with Leila on its back. She was giggling as it brought her towards the shore and dumped her unceremoniously in the shallow water. She surfaced in the blue green water and ran through the gently lapping ripples towards the beach. I marveled at how perfect her entire being was as she approached us. She was completely unaware of herself, smiling happily.

"Did you see that?" She flopped gracefully on the beach blanket she had spread out earlier. "That was so cool!" Her enthusiasm was infectious and I laughed with her.

"Yes I saw. It was very cool." She grinned at my reply as she lay down and wiggled herself into the perfect position.

"You know what would be even cooler?" She paused for effect. "Riding an Orca; that would be awesome!" I opened my mouth to speak but Carlisle beat me to it.

"I don't know if that would be particularly safe Leila. I don't know if it has ever been tested, but it may be possible that they could bite or crush you."

She flipped on her stomach and propped her chin in her hands. "You seriously think a killer whale would be able to kill me?"

He shrugged and raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if it would be able to kill you, but it may be able to cause a lot of damage."

She looked thoughtful as she considered the possibility before grinning again. "I still think I might try it. I could just get Emmett and Jasper to go with me."

I fixed her with a stern look. "You young lady, will not go Orca hunting with or without your brothers. Is that clear?"

She giggled. "You look all fierce but you're so sparkly it ruins the look."

She sighed regretfully. "I love your skin in the sun. I wish mine sparkled." I followed her gaze down to her arm. It was a luminous gold that made her look like she had an ethereal tan.

"I don't know. Your skin looks really amazing in the sunlight. And it does have tiny light refractions within the shine." She smiled up at me, looking for all the world like a pleased child at my praise.

"You think so?"

I couldn't help reaching out and touching her face. "I know so."

She lay on her back with her eyes closed. "Doesn't the sun feel so good?" she asked conversationally. I agreed, "Mm hmm."

"Leila, we have things that need to be discussed." Carlisle broke the lazy silence with his statement. She opened one eye and looked over at him.

"No one comes for two more days. Can we talk about it tomorrow?" She spoke in a wheedling voice that somehow maintained a sweet edge. Carlisle narrowed his eyes.

"You have said that the past three days." He was slightly uptight I noticed; maybe because he was used to occupying our time on Isle Esme in a different way than we had been this visit. Leila stood up suddenly and smiled sweetly at me.

"Okay, if you let me go deep sea diving for three hours, I promise we can talk about anything you want as soon as I come back to shore."

I sat up straight. "No! Absolutely not! You are not going to disappear into the sea for three hours and leave me on shore wondering if you're really off hunting killer whales or some other equally insane idea." I swear I felt Carlisle grin behind me, but when I whipped my head around he was straight faced and looking suitably concerned.

Leila rolled her eyes. "I'm not going Orca hunting or anything else so fabulously exciting. I just want to search for shipwrecks around the island." At my stubborn look, she sighed in exasperation. "I won't go any further than two miles I promise!"

I sighed inaudibly; she looked so endearing with her pleading look. She caught the slight give in me and smiled triumphantly. She started walking backwards towards the water. "I'm saving the whale hunting to go with Jasper and Emmett, so don't worry about me sneaking off." She laughed mischievously at the look on my face. "I promise Esme, I'm only going to look for sunken treasure. I love jewels. Imagine if I find a whole pirate ship!" Her eyes lit up at the thought of imaginary booty. Carlisle wrapped his arms around me.

"Let her go love. I don't think she'll go too far."

She whooped in delight and turned to run back into the water.

"Two miles Leila!" I said to her retreating back. She flashed a grin over her shoulder already up to her waist in the warm water.

"No further than five, I promise!" And she dove under the surface. I could see her white swim suit clad body streaking under the water out to the deeper sea.

Carlisle pulled be to my feet and smiled rakishly. He looked so young and heartbreakingly handsome. "Three hours love." He swept me into his arms and turned towards the sliding glass doors. I looped my arms around his neck and smiled back.

"It does open up a whole lot of possibilities doesn't it?"

He kissed me as he passed through the white curtains into our bedroom. "I can think of a few." He set me on my feet and we simply stared at each other, the weight of almost being separated for eternity and the relief of being together making words irrelevant. I looked down to our joined hands and then back up at his face.

Before I could speak, he leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine. "We have three hours with just us; no children, no worries. And when Leila comes back we will talk about everything." I leaned into him and sighed peacefully. Everything would be okay. Leila _would_ come back, we would figure out all the odd things that had occurred and everything would go back to some form of normal. I smiled at Carlisle.

"Just us."

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**_So, what did you think? _**

**_Please send me suggestions for a title for my next book!_ **

**_Also, anyone who leaves a review for the epilogue will receive a special sneak preview of Book 2!_**


	31. AN

Hello to my much appreciated readers! I just wanted to let everyone who has this on story alert that I have posted Book 2!

Vita Mirabilis by Sari Damien.

I hope you enjoy it! And thank you for reading my stories and for all the reviews!


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